Whose Moral Community? Religiosity, Secularity, and Self-rated Health across Communal Religious Contexts

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Stroope ◽  
Joseph O. Baker
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Religion And Health ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Individual Health ◽  
Health Gap ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
The Relationship

Scholars have long theorized that religious contexts provide health-promoting social integration and regulation. A growing body of literature has documented associations between individual religiosity and health as well as macro–micro linkages between religious contexts, religious participation, and individual health. Using unique data on individuals and county contexts in the United States, this study offers new insight by using multilevel analysis to examine meso–micro relationships between religion and health. We assess whether and how the relationship between individual religiosity and health depends on communal religious contexts. In highly religious contexts, religious individuals are less likely to have poor health, while nonreligious individuals are markedly more likely to have poor health. In less religious contexts, religious and nonreligious individuals report similar levels of health. Consequently, the health gap between religious and nonreligious individuals is largest in religiously devout contexts, primarily due to the negative effects on nonreligious individuals’ health in religious contexts.

Perception of Health, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempt Among Adults in the Community

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 346-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee D. Goodwin ◽  
Andrej Marusic
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Suicide Attempt ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Final Model ◽  
Perception Of Health ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Comorbid Mental Disorders

Background: There is a well-known association between perception of poor physical health and higher rates of physical and psychological morbidity. However, little is known about the possible link between perception of health and suicidality. Aims: The study examines the relationship between perception of poor health and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the community. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (n = 5,877), a representative sample of individuals 15–54 years of age in the United States. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between perception of poor health and the likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid mental disorders, and physical illnesses were adjusted for in the final model. Results: Perception of poor health was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR = 2.14 (1.36, 3.35) and suicide attempt (OR = 2.03 (1.06, 3.91)), which persisted after adjusting for differences in sociodemographic characteristics, mental disorders, and self-reported physical illnesses. Conclusions: Our findings provide initial evidence that perception of poor health is associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the community.

Intervening processes in the relationship between unemployment and health

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 949-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald C. Kessler ◽  
J. Blake Turner ◽  
James S. House
Keyword(s):  
Job Loss ◽  
The United States ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Unemployed People ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Unemployment And Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

SynopsisA considerable amount of research documents the negative effects of job loss on both physical and mental health. Yet we know comparatively little about the mechanisms through which these effects occur. Unemployment, like other events, is not the same experience for everyone exposed to it. An understanding of this variation might be facilitated by breaking down the analysis of unemployment into a consideration of the various stresses that it creates or exacerbates. This is our purpose in the present paper.We demonstrate that, for one area of the United States, the effect of job loss on several health outcomes involves two mechanisms: (1) unemployment results in increased financial strain which, in turn, results in negative health effects, and (2) unemployment leaves the individual more vulnerable to the impact of unrelated life events. Controlling for financial strain, unemployed people in our sample who have not experienced an additional life event in the previous year are in no worse health than the stably employed. This provides useful insights into the nature of the unemployment experience in this particular setting. It also provides a basis for future detailed explorations of the various ways people cope with this event.

scholarly journals Does caring for your spouse harm one's health? Evidence from a United States nationally-representative sample of older adults

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
KRISTI RAHRIG JENKINS ◽  
MOHAMMED U. KABETO ◽  
KENNETH M. LANGA
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
The United States ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Adult Care ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Care Givers ◽  
Care Giving ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Relationship

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between spousal care-giving and declines in functioning and self-rated health among older care-givers. The authors used data from the 2000 and 2002 waves of the United States Health and Retirement Study, a biennial longitudinal survey of a nationally representative cohort of adults aged 50 or more years. Two outcomes were examined, declines in functioning and declines in self-rated health. Care-givers were classified into three groups: no care-giving, less than 14 hours of care-giving per week, and 14 or more hours care-giving per week. To assess declines in functioning, two summary scores were created of limitations in basic and instrumental Activities of Daily Living. To assess declines in self-rated health, we compared responses from 2000 and 2002. In the fully adjusted models, care-giving hours did not have an independent effect on declines in functioning or self-rated health. The relationship between care-giving hours and declines in functioning and self-rated health is probably attributable to socio-demographic characteristics, mainly age. The findings suggest that spousal care-giving does not of itself harm functional health or perceived health among older adult care-givers. Understanding the differential effects of these socio-economic characteristics with care-giving hours on health will be useful in promoting the health of older adult care-givers and treating their disorders.

Through Him and With Him? A Longitudinal Study of How God-Mediated Control Beliefs Shape the Relationship between Divine Forgiveness and Physical Health in Later Life

2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432199656
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Religion And Health ◽  
Aging And Health ◽  
Divine Forgiveness ◽  
The Relationship

Objectives: While there has been a recent surge in research on forgiveness and health, much less is known about the relationship between divine forgiveness and health. Methods: Using longitudinal data from the 2001–2004 Religion, Aging, and Health Survey from the United States, the current study assesses how changes in beliefs in God-mediated control, a perceived collaborative relationship with a divine power, affect the association between divine forgiveness and physical health among Christian older adults. Results: Older adults with consistently high beliefs in God-mediated control over the study period received stronger health benefits of divine forgiveness. Forgiveness by God also had a stronger relationship with health compared to forgiveness of self and others. Discussion: The findings underscore the importance of subjective beliefs about God. Future research directions are proposed to advance the study of religion and health in later life by conceiving of a more salient role for divine forgiveness.

scholarly journals Bridging the Financial Gap Among Young People

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Torres ◽  
Russell Rudman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Low Income ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
The United States ◽  
Student Loan ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship

Experts have determined that the cost of attending college is rising (Williams, 2006) and as a result, it has altered college graduates’ cumulative debt levels. In addition, research shows that those who attend college are more likely to earn higher salaries (Ma et al., 2016). Consequently, the existence of a low-income college graduate population would be considered a paradox. Simultaneous to such changes mentioned, homeownership among young individuals is declining in the United States (Dettling & Hsu, 2014). As of today, research has focused on the relationship between student loan debt and homeownership but has neglected the relationship between cumulative debt and homeownership. This study will answer the following question: What is the relationship between cumulative debt acquired by low-income college graduates between the ages of 23-40 in the United States in the 21st century and the corresponding likelihood of homeownership? Through interviews with five low-income college graduates, I collected narratives describing their outlooks on cumulative debt and its influences on homeownership. Through thematic analysis, I drew connections between common themes that indicated how cumulative debt affected one’s actions or thoughts regarding purchasing a home.  The results showed that cumulative debt has negative effects on homeownership. Subjects disclosed that their struggle to pay their cumulative debt and inability to accumulate wealth were the two most common hindrances of purchasing a home. This is significant because cumulative debt predetermines how the subject manages their finances to pursue purchasing a home and such data may influence the financial decisions of future generations.

Abstract MP80: Psychosocial Factors and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 131 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel P Ogilvie ◽  
Susan Everson-Rose ◽  
Carlos Rodriguez ◽  
W.T. Longstreth ◽  
Michelle Albert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Ethnic Study ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Hazard Ratios ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Incident Heart Failure

Background: Heart failure is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Psychosocial factors have frequently been studied as risk factors for coronary heart disease, but not for heart failure. Methods: We examined the relationship between psychological status and incident heart failure among 6,782 individuals from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Anger, anxiety, chronic burden, depression, and hostility were measured using validated scales and were modeled categorically. Physician reviewers adjudicated incident heart failure events. Cox proportional hazards models were used to generate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and adjusted for relevant demographic, behavioral, and physiological covariates. In exploratory analyses, we evaluated interactions between self-rated health and each psychosocial factor, and then stratified by baseline self-rated health (fair/poor and good/very good/excellent). Results: During a mean follow up of 9.3 years, 242 participants developed incident heart failure. Compared to participants in the lowest level, hazard ratios for those categorized in the highest level of anger [HR=1.14 (95%CI: 0.81-1.60)], anxiety [HR=0.74 (95%CI: 0.51-1.07), chronic burden [HR=1.25 (95%CI: 0.90-1.72), depression [HR=1.19 (95%CI: 0.76-1.85), and hostility [HR=0.95 (95%CI: 0.62-1.42) revealed no association with incident heart failure. In the exploratory analysis, interactions between the psychosocial factors and self-rated health were only statistically significant for hostility, but stratified models differed according to baseline health status. Compared to the lowest level, hazard ratios for those categorized in the highest level of anxiety [HR=2.11 (95%CI: 1.00-4.47)], chronic burden [HR=2.25 (95%CI: 1.08-4.67)], and depression [HR=2.15 (95%CI: 0.98-4.68)] revealed a positive association with incident heart failure among participants self-rated poor health at baseline, but there was no association for those with good self-rated health at baseline. For hostility, HRs for the highest versus lowest categorization were larger among those with good self-rated health and for anger, associations were similar regardless of self-rated health status. Conclusions: Overall these five psychosocial factors were not significantly associated with incident heart failure. However, for participants reporting poor health at baseline, anxiety, chronic burden, and depression were associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Future research with greater statistical power is necessary to confirm these findings and seek explanations.

Status Deficits and War

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Renshon
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
International Conflict ◽  
The United States ◽  
Interstate Conflict ◽  
Reference Groups ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Interstate Disputes ◽  
Large N ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Militarized Interstate Disputes

This chapter explores the relationship between status deficits and international conflict using empirical evidence drawn from a large-N statistical analysis of the link between status dissatisfaction and war at several degrees of intensity (ranging from crises to interstate conflict). It first considers whether conflict serves as a status-altering event before discussing the connection of status deficits to initiation of war and militarized interstate disputes. It also presents unique data on which comparisons are most salient in motivating international conflict (for example, who powerful states compare themselves to, or whether South Africa and the United States are likely to compare themselves to similar groups of countries. The chapter shows that the types of comparisons that are made—who the “reference groups” are—have important implications for how status concerns are manifested in international politics.

scholarly journals Exploring Mental Models behind Self-rated Health and Subjective Life Expectancy through Web Probing

Field Methods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-326
Author(s):  
Sunghee Lee ◽  
Colleen McClain ◽  
Dorothée Behr ◽  
Katharina Meitinger
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Web Survey ◽  
Thought Processes ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Mortality

Self-rated health (SRH) and subjective life expectancy (SLE) are widely used for understanding health and predicting mortality. However, what these items measure remains unclear, due to the lack of conceptual frameworks. We administered a web survey across the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Mexico. The questionnaire included SRH and SLE, each immediately followed by a question that probed respondents’ thought processes. We examined the relationship between SRH and SLE, the response difficulty, and attributes that respondents considered for forming responses. Overall, SRH and SLE were moderately related, eliciting different information and varying in difficulty. Compared to SLE, SRH was perceived as easier but covered a narrower information spectrum. While illness and health behaviors were dominant attributes of SRH responses, family longevity history, life situations, and lack of control were additionally considered for SLE. When combined, SRH and SLE may capture a fuller range of attributes germane to health and mortality.

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