The Inverse U-Shaped Religion–Health Connection Among Israeli Jews

Abstract

A growing body of evidence indicates an association between religion and health. However, few have studied the connection between the extent of an individual's religiosity and his health. Analysis of the 2004 Israel National Health Survey was performed. Religiosity was self-identified using five continuous categories, distinctive to Israeli Jews. Bivariate and multivariate analyses examined the relationship between the extent of Religious commitment and several health outcomes. The relationship took the shape of an inverse U function: Israeli Jews in the middle religiously have the worst physical and mental health status on both unadjusted and adjusted bases. Israeli Jews exhibit a non-trivial connection between religiosity and health whereby the most Secular and the most Religious individuals seem to be healthier than individuals in between.

Nonreligion, Atheism, & Mental Health

“…72 One consistent finding across various studies has been that of a U-shape curve, where the most strongly religious and non-religious show better health outcomes than the moderately religious and less strongly non-religious. This finding has been been identified in the United States of America, 73,74,66 including the USA prison population context, 75 and South Asian migrants in the USA, 76 in Turkey, 77 Israel, 78 and in East Germany. 79 We may ask: if the nonreligious are able to reproduce the positive functions of beliefs, do they also experience the potential negative consequences of adhering strongly to a worldview, as it happens with religious individuals when they experience desecration or sacred loss?…”

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

“…Further, there are problematic aspects to using self‐reported health information as an outcome from Haredim as is commonly done in morbidity studies involving Haredim (Brammli‐Greenberg, Glazer, and Shapiro 2018). The self‐reports reflect subjective opinions that can also be affected by factors, such as social norms, and therefore, there may be biases especially among Haredim (Rier, Schwartzbaum, and Heller 2008).…”

“…These social, psychological, and religious mechanisms have been found to be related to health characteristics associated with lower mortality, such as better health behaviors and health status. For example, Haredim typically have better physical and mental health (Brammli‐Greenberg, Glazer, and Shapiro 2018; Muhsen et al. 2017).…”

“…One study found better self‐rated health and satisfaction among the most religious Israelis (Levin 2013). Another study found that religiosity has a u‐shaped relationship with health across a wider range of physical and mental health measures (Brammli‐Greenberg, Glazer, and Shapiro 2018). When looking at religiosity as a continuous scale, those in the middle have the worst health outcomes, while those identifying as the most secular or most religious have the best health outcomes.…”

The psychology of nonbelievers

“…One common misunderstanding given the established link between religiosity and health is that nonreligion is "a health liability" [54, p. 370 positive/negative affect, and subjective happiness. This relationship is cross-culturally robust and has been identified in several national, ethnic, and religious contexts, ranging from the United States [29], East Germany [60], Turkey [61], and Israel [62], for example.…”