Frequent attendance at religious services and mortality over 28 years.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed the long-term association between religious attendance and mortality to determine whether the association is explained by improvements in health practices and social connections for frequent attenders. METHODS: The association between frequent attendance and mortality over 28 years for 5286 Alameda Country Study respondents was examined. Logistic regression models analyzed associations between attendance and subsequent improvements in health practices and social connections. RESULTS: Frequent attenders had lower mortality rates than infrequent attenders (relative hazard [RH] = 0.64;95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.53,0.77). Results were stronger for females. Health adjustments had little impact, but adjustments for social connections and health practices reduced the relationship (RH = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.64, 0.93). During follow-up, frequent attenders were more likely to stop smoking, increase exercising, increase social contacts, and stay married. CONCLUSIONS: Lower mortality rates for frequent religious attenders are partly explained by improved health practices, increased social contacts, and more stable marriages occurring in conjunction with attendance. The mechanisms by which these changes occur have broad intervention implications.

The association of religiosity with overweight/obese body mass index among Asian Indian immigrants in California

“…Religiosity was a composite of three measures: "I believe that I am a religious person," "My spiritual beliefs are the foundation of my approach to life," and "I observe the traditional holidays that are important in my culture and religion," which correspond to religious self-identification, religious beliefs (Schaefer and Gorsuch, 1991), and religious participation (Strawbridge et al, 1997), respectively. Responses for the first two items were on a 5-point Likert scale and responses for the third item were on a four-point scale (Table 1).…”

Religious involvement and mortality: A meta-analytic review.

“…There is some evidence that people with high levels of religious involvement are less obese (Baecke, Burema, Frijters, Hautvast, & van der Wiel-Wetzels, 1983), suggesting that people who are religious might avoid early death in part via lower obesity (but cf. Strawbridge et al, 1997). Therefore, researchers should include obesity-body mass index in their models to estimate the extent to which religious involvement obtains its association with mortality through obesity-body mass.…”

Spirituality, Social Support, and Survival in Hemodialysis Patients

“…R elationships between spirituality and mortality have been investigated in medical populations but remain controversial (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Variable associations have been found depending on definitions of spirituality and patient populations studied (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11).…”