Do differences in religious affiliation explain high levels of excess mortality in the UK?

Abstract

Background High levels of mortality not explained by differences in socioeconomic status (SES) have been observed for Scotland and its largest city, Glasgow, compared with elsewhere in the UK. Previous crosssectional research highlighted potentially relevant differences in social capital, including religious social capital (the benefits of social participation in organised religion). The aim of this study was to use longitudinal data to assess whether religious affiliation (as measured in UK censuses) attenuated the high levels of Scottish excess mortality. Methods The study used the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS) and the ONS Longitudinal Study of England and Wales. Risk of all-cause mortality (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010) was compared between residents aged 35 and 74 years of Scotland and England and Wales, and between Glasgow and Liverpool/Manchester, using Poisson regression. Models adjusted for age, gender, SES and religious affiliation. Similar country-based analyses were undertaken for suicide. Results After adjustment for age, gender and SES, all-cause mortality was 9% higher in Scotland than in England and Wales, and 27% higher in Glasgow than in Liverpool or Manchester. Religious affiliation was notably lower across Scotland; but, its inclusion in the models did not attenuate the level of Scottish excess all-cause mortality, and only marginally lowered the differences in risk of suicide. Conclusions Differences in religious affiliation do not explain the higher mortality rates in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK. However, it is possible that other aspects of religion such as religiosity or religious participation which were not assessed here may still be important.

Different dimensions of religiousness/spirituality are associated with health behaviors in breast cancer survivors

“…More research is needed to understand what unique effects mean—for example, what does it mean to be religious but not spiritual as compared with being religious and spiritual in terms of health behaviors? In addition, survivors' religious affiliation may influence their health behaviors, a potentially key issue that should be examined in future research.…”

Administrative Data Research Northern Ireland (ADR NI)

“…Statistical techniques such as eDataShield [15] will provide a workable interim solution. This technique facilitates combined analysis of physically separated datasets, including datasets such as the Census where strict security access usually prevents these data being pooled [16,17]. However, there is obviously a potential need to move towards scenarios where the individual-level data across the UK are combined and analysed in one setting.…”

Does ethnic diversity explain intra-UK variation in mortality? A longitudinal cohort study

“…The Scottish Longitudinal Study19 (a 5.3% sample of the Scotland Census linked to life events data including death registrations) and the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study of England and Wales20 (a 1% sample of the England and Wales Census, also linked to life events data including individual mortality records) were employed. Analyses of these ‘restricted access’ data sets were enabled by the use of E-DataSHIELD methodology, which has been described previously 6 21…”

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“…High levels of ‘excess mortality’ (defined as higher mortality after adjustment for differences in socioeconomic circumstances) have been observed in Scotland compared with England and Wales, and particularly in Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, in comparison to other, similarly deprived, postindustrial cities in the UK such as Liverpool, Manchester and Belfast 1–6. Recently published research identified the most likely underlying causes of this excess, with the findings endorsed by leading figures in public health and other relevant disciplines 7 8.…”