scholarly journals Religious-service attendance and subsequent health and well-being throughout adulthood: evidence from three prospective cohorts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Chen ◽  
Eric S Kim ◽  
Tyler J VanderWeele
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Prospective Cohorts ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Service Attendance

Abstract Background Religious-service attendance has been linked with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, suicide and depression. Yet, its associations with other health and well-being outcomes remain less clear. Methods Using longitudinal data from three large prospective cohorts in the USA, this study examined the association between religious-service attendance and a wide range of subsequent physical health, health-behaviour, psychological distress and psychological well-being outcomes in separate cohorts of young, middle-aged and older adults. All analyses adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics, prior health status and prior values of the outcome variables whenever data were available. Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing. Results Estimates combining data across cohorts suggest that, compared with those who never attended religious services, individuals who attended services at least once per week had a lower risk of all-cause mortality by 26% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65 to 0.84], heavy drinking by 34% (95% CI: 0.59 to 0.73) and current smoking by 29% (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.80). Service attendance was also inversely associated with a number of psychological-distress outcomes (i.e. depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness) and was positively associated with psychosocial well-being outcomes (i.e. positive affect, life satisfaction, social integration, purpose in life), but was generally not associated with subsequent disease, such as hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. Conclusions Decisions on religious participation are generally not shaped principally by health. Nevertheless, for individuals who already hold religious beliefs, religious-service attendance may be a meaningful form of social integration that potentially relates to greater longevity, healthier behaviours, better mental health and greater psychosocial well-being.

Exploring the Type-of-Crime Hypothesis, Religiosity, and Spirituality in an Adult Male Prison Population

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Fernander ◽  
John F. Wilson ◽  
Michele Staton ◽  
Carl Leukefeld
Keyword(s):  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Spiritual Wellbeing ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Criminal Conviction ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Religiosity And Spirituality ◽  
Service Attendance

This study examined the association between measures of spirituality and religiosity and characteristics of current criminal conviction in a male prison population. Spirituality was operationalized as spiritual well-being and existential well-being. Religiosity was operationalized as frequency of religious service attendance, whether an individual considered himself to be religious, and how strongly an individual believed his religious beliefs influenced his behavior. Inmates whose convictions were property related reported greater spiritual wellbeing, were more likely to consider themselves religious, and to say that religious beliefs influenced their behavior than inmates whose crimes were not property related. Inmates whose convictions were drug related were less likely to consider themselves religious, and inmates whose conviction involved violence were more likely to consider themselves religious but less likely to endorse statements that religious beliefs influenced their behavior. The distinction between religiosity and spirituality is discussed in terms of the type-of-crime hypothesis.

scholarly journals Religious service attendance, health behaviors and well-being—an outcome-wide longitudinal analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1177-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Pawlikowski ◽  
Piotr Białowolski ◽  
Dorota Węziak-Białowolska ◽  
Tyler J VanderWeele
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Prevention Policy ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Unmeasured Confounding ◽  
Unmeasured Confounder ◽  
Service Attendance

Abstract Background Previous studies of relationship between religiosity, health behaviors and well-being have showed mainly positive relationships, however, are very often limited to results of associative nature and subject to unmeasured confounding. This study focused on evaluating evidence for a positive association between religious service attendance (RSA), health behaviors and well-being in a longitudinal setting and robustness of these associations to unmeasured confounding. Methods Three waves (2009, 2011 and 2015) of the biennial longitudinal Polish household panel study with response from 6400 respondents were analyzed. Evidence for a positive and robust association between RSA and outcome variables was evaluated using outcome-wide regression analysis with control of all variables temporally prior to the exposure and sensitivity measures (E-values) to give information on the extent to which an unmeasured confounder would need to be associated with both the exposure and the outcomes. Results RSA is associated with reduced risk of unhealthy behaviors (smoking, alcohol use) and higher emotional well-being. These relationships are robust to substantial unmeasured confounding and difficult to explain by reference to other, unknown, variables. Evidence for a positive relationship between RSA and other well-being variables (social, physical) was less clear. Conclusions Religiosity may play an important role in public health, particularly in prevention of non-communicable diseases. The strong and robust associations between RSA and some health behaviors (i.e. tobacco use, alcohol abuse) and emotional well-being should arguably be taken into account in health education, health promotion programs, health prevention policy and psychotherapeutic approaches, particularly in more religious populations.

scholarly journals School types in adolescence and subsequent health and well-being in young adulthood: An outcome-wide analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0258723
Author(s):  
Ying Chen ◽  
Christina Hinton ◽  
Tyler J. VanderWeele
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sexual Partners ◽  
Religious Schools ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Service Attendance

While past empirical studies have explored associations between types of primary and secondary schools and student academic achievement, outcomes beyond academic performance remain less well-understood. Using longitudinal data from a cohort of children (N = 12,288, mean age = 14.56 years) of nurses, this study examined associations between the types of schools participants attended in adolescence and a wide range of subsequent psychological well-being, social engagement, character strengths, mental health, health behavior and physical health outcomes. Results in this sample suggested little difference between attending private independent schools and public schools across outcomes in young adulthood. There were, however, notable differences in subsequent outcomes comparing homeschooling and public schools, and possibly some evidence comparing religious schools and public schools. Specifically, there was some evidence that attending religious schools versus public schools was associated with a higher likelihood of frequent religious service attendance and becoming registered voters, a lower risk of overweight/obese, fewer lifetime sexual partners, and a higher risk of subsequently being binge drinkers; however, these associations were not robust to correction for multiple testing. Homeschooling compared with public schooling was associated with subsequently more frequent volunteering (ß = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.52), greater forgiveness (ß = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.46), and more frequent religious service attendance (Risk Ratio [RR] = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.80), and possibly also with greater purpose in life, less marijuana use, and fewer lifetime sexual partners, but negatively associated with college degree attainment (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.88) and possibly with greater risk of posttraumatic stress disorder. These results may encourage education stakeholders to consider a wider range of outcomes beyond academic performance in decision-making.

scholarly journals Religious service attendance and spiritual well-being are differentially associated with risk of major depression

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1009-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Maselko ◽  
S. E. Gilman ◽  
S. Buka
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Lifetime Risk ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Service Attendance

BackgroundThe complex relationships between religiosity, spirituality and the risk of DSM-IV depression are not well understood.MethodWe investigated the independent influence of religious service attendance and two dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious and existential) on the lifetime risk of major depression. Data came from the New England Family Study (NEFS) cohort (n=918, mean age=39 years). Depression according to DSM-IV criteria was ascertained using structured diagnostic interviews. Odds ratios (ORs) for the associations between high, medium and low tertiles of spiritual well-being and for religious service attendance and the lifetime risk of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression.ResultsReligious service attendance was associated with 30% lower odds of depression. In addition, individuals in the top tertile of existential well-being had a 70% lower odds of depression compared to individuals in the bottom tertile. Contrary to our original hypotheses, however, higher levels of religious well-being were associated with 1.5 times higher odds of depression.ConclusionsReligious and existential well-being may be differentially associated with likelihood of depression. Given the complex interactions between religiosity and spirituality dimensions in relation to risk of major depression, the reliance on a single domain measure of religiosity or spirituality (e.g. religious service attendance) in research or clinical settings is discouraged.

scholarly journals Religious Service Attendance, Allostatic Load, and Mortality Among Black Men

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 423-423
Author(s):  
Bettina Beech ◽  
Dulcie Kermah ◽  
Gillian Marshall ◽  
Paul Archibald ◽  
Genee Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Men ◽  
Allostatic Load ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Models ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Service Attendance

Abstract Black men experience high levels of social and psychological stress and religion has been a coping strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between religious service attendance and mortality among Black men. Data were drawn from the NHANES III (1988-1994) sample linked to the 2015 public use Mortality File. The analytic sample (n=2300) was restricted to Black men. All-cause mortality was the primary outcome and religious service attendance was the primary independent variable. Findings from Cox proportional hazards models indicated participants who attended at least once per week were 18% less likely to die than their peers who did not attend a religious service at all (fully adjusted HR 0.82; CI 0.68-0.99). The robust association between religious service attendance and mortality among Black men suggest that prospective studies are needed to further examine the influence of religion on health among this population.

scholarly journals The Effects of Religiosity on Depression Trajectories Before and After Widowhood

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 572-572
Author(s):  
Frances Hawes ◽  
Jane Tavares ◽  
Corina Ronneberg ◽  
Edward Miller
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Religious Service ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Service Attendance

Abstract Widowhood is associated with decreased emotional well-being, particularly increased depression. Religiosity may help improve mental health among widowed individuals. However, longitudinal studies exploring the role of religiosity on emotional well-being among widowed older adults is lacking, as are studies which examine this relationship using different dimensions of religiosity. This study analyzed data from the 2006-2016 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Trajectories of depression among older adults >50 years (N=5,486) were examined to explore patterns of depression among those entering widowhood and the potential impact of religiosity on depressive symptoms during widowhood. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to examine the association between widowhood and depression as well as the role of religiosity as a moderator of this association. Older adults experienced an increase in depressive symptomology after the onset of widowhood, and although the levels of depressive symptomology decrease post-widowhood, they do not return to their pre-widowhood levels. Additionally, high religious service attendance and higher intrinsic religiosity were both associated with lower depressive symptomology. High religious service attendance moderated the relationship between widowhood and depression. The relationship between high religious service attendance and depression was stronger among widowed older adults living alone. This study highlights the long-term effects of widowhood on depressive symptomology among older adults. The findings also suggest that higher religious service attendance can lessen the effects of widowhood on depressive symptoms, especially for those living alone. These findings may inform intervention development around increased screening and treatment for depression.

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