Religious and social capital and health

Abstract

religion plays a prominent role in many societies. it has been described as a system of beliefs and practices of those within a community, with rituals designed to acknowledge, worship, communicate with, and come closer to the sacred, divine or ultimate truth or reality (Koenig, 2008). religion can potentially affect many aspects of a person's life, including health related ones. although there is more than one definition of religion, it is generally agreed that there is an important social element to religion, as opposed to spirituality which often focuses on the individual and is increasingly seen as distinct from religion (mercandante, 2014). religion is a unique construct, one that can be measured, quantified, and examined in relation to health outcomes. there are many measures of religion such as religious affiliation, denomination, prayer, beliefs, rituals performed, and religious knowledge as well as multidimensional measures such as intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity, religious coping, locus of control, and religious intensity (Koenig, 2011). there is a substantial and growing body of evidence which supports a largely positive and beneficial connection between religion and health (levin, 1994; Ellison and levin, 1998; Koenig et al., 2012; idler, 2014). However, the relationship between religion and health can vary depending on the measure of religion and measure of health and it can also vary by religious group (Koenig et al., 2012). participation in a religious community, as indicated by church attendance in particular, is the measure most associated with decreased mortality and improved health status in numerous studies, and reviews of the literature consistently report evidence of a positive relationship between religious attendance and health (mcCullough et al., 2000; levin, 2001; powell et al., 2003; Koenig et al., 2012; pargament, 2013). this is noteworthy as congregational attendance is the measure of religion that seems most connected to social capital and to related social factors such as social support, cohesion and networks. at the same time, measures of private religiosity such as individual prayer have more often been associated with negative health outcomes (Koenig et al., 2012).

A Protective Canopy: Religious and Social Capital as Elements of a Theory of Religion and Health

“…This paper aimed to advance the theoretical framework for the relationship between religion and health through elaboration of a theory of religion and health and a review of key relevant literature. It described how the concept of “social capital” is critical in understanding this relationship, an observation found elsewhere (Smidt 2003 ; Idler 2014 ; Shapiro and Sharony 2018 ). Evidence was presented that not only the quantity but also the quality of social capital, or what may be termed “social capital magnified” is an important mechanism by which religion can influence health through intensified impact of social capital, something that has less commonly been noted.…”

“…Religious communities are thought to be important sources of social capital, perhaps even the largest source of social capital in the U.S. (Putnam 2000 ; Putnam and Campbell 2010 ). There is substantial evidence of a largely positive relationship between social capital and health among the religious involved; the relationship is a complex one, however, with variations by a number of dimensions (Yeary 2012 ; Plunkett 2016 ; Shapiro and Sharony 2018 ).…”

Differences in Mortality Rates between Haredi and Non‐Haredi Jews in Israel in the Context of Social Characteristics

“…Although religious capital has rarely been examined in terms of its relationship with health outcomes, there does seem to be some evidence of a relationship between greater religious capital and better health (Holt et al. 2011; Shapiro and Sharony 2019). Further, a stricter interpretation of tradition supports the idea that there is greater religious human capital found among Haredi Jews (Iannacone 1990).…”

A Jerusalem Synagogue Coping During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities

“…There are many aspects of religious life, but the features of religion with the strongest relationship to health are those related to community, often measured by congregational attendance (Powell et al 2003 ; Koenig et al 2012 ). Being part of a community has been associated with a variety of better health outcomes, especially among members of religious congregations (Putnam and Campbell 2010 ; Koenig et al 2012 ; Shapiro and Sharony 2019 ; Foege 2019 ). Religious congregation members are more likely to experience a sense of community (Stroope 2011 ).…”

“…Congregations’ members interact with one another at prayer services, lectures and other activities that create bonds among them and can increase both the quantity and quality of social capital within the congregation. The social capital found within religious congregations is also associated with stronger mental health (Viladrich and Abdraido-Lanza 2009 ; Yeary et al 2012 ; Shapiro and Sharony 2019 ). Involvement in religious congregations can play important roles in increasing social integration and social support (Rote et al 2013 ), thereby reducing loneliness, which reduces stress, depression and suicide (Mushtaq et al 2014 ).…”