Association between Religion and Health in China: Using Propensity Score Matching Method

Abstract

The association between religion and health is well debated and receives continuous attention in research. Selection bias is often a major concern among the observatory data routinely used worldwide to examine this topic. Adopting the propensity score matching (PSM) method, the present study tries to assess the treatment effects of religion on self-reported health status. The final sample from the 2007 Spiritual Life Study of Chinese Residents (SLSC) contains 6194 valid responses. The average treatment effects (ATEs) estimated by the PSM method show that respondents with religious affiliations are on average significantly more likely to report being very healthy by 5.2 percentage points (by 3.6 and 9.6 percentage points among Buddhists and Protestants), especially, by 16.2 percentage points among those regarding religion as being very important in their lives. Meanwhile, ATEs of religion on reporting being very happy is 17.0 among Protestants and 13.4 among those regarding religion with high importance and 11.3 among those with “regular religious attendance”.

Factors Associated with Death Anxiety Among Rural Chinese Older Adults: The Terror Management Perspective

“…Increasing evidence shows that older adults with stronger religious belief had less death anxiety in different cultures (Cicirelli, 2002;Krause & Bastida, 2012). Previous studies on religion and health in China suggest that religious affiliations and participation were positively associated with self-rated health and happiness (Zhang et al, 2020). Therefore, we propose the following hypothesis: H3: Older adults who have a religious belief have less death anxiety than those without a religious belief.…”

“…According to the Terror Management Theory (Solomon et al, 1991), religion is one effective defense against death anxiety. This is because religion not only provides a comprehensive framework to explain the world events, life challenges, and psychological resources (e.g., self-esteem), but also provides a promise of life after death and of reunion with departed loved ones (Wink & Scott, 2005;Zhang et al, 2020). Increasing evidence shows that older adults with stronger religious belief had less death anxiety in different cultures (Cicirelli, 2002;Krause & Bastida, 2012).…”