Religious practices, beliefs, and mental health: variations across ethnicity.

Objectives: We examined whether Black Americans and Hispanic Americans experienced greater mental health benefits from religious involvement than White Americans, and whether these benefits would be mediated through three psychosocial factors--social support, meaning, and forgiveness.

Methods: Utilizing data from a probability sample of Chicago-based adults (n=3103), ethnicity-stratified multivariate regression models estimated the association of religiosity with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Models controlled for potential confounders and psychosocial mediators.

Depression, anxiety, and religious life: a search for mediators.

We examine several potential mechanisms linking religious involvement to depressive symptoms, major depression, and anxiety. Logistic and OLS regression estimations test five sets of potential psychosocial religion mediators: perceived attitudes toward and motivations for attendance; positive and negative religious coping; religious attitudes, beliefs, and spirituality; congregational support and criticism; and interpersonal and self-forgiveness. Compared to attending services less than once a month or never, attending services once a week but no more is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms.

An examination of the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity, blood pressure, and hypertension.

Researchers have established the role of heredity and lifestyle in the occurrence of hypertension, but the potential role of psychosocial factors, especially religiosity, is less understood. This paper analyzes the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hypertension using data taken from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, a probability sample of adults (N=3105) aged 18 and over living in the city of Chicago, USA. Of the primary religiosity variables examined here, attendance and public participation were not significantly related to the outcomes.

Religious involvement and healthy lifestyles: evidence from the survey of Texas adults.

Background: Although research shows that religious involvement is associated with a wide range of individual health behaviors, it has yet to be determined whether the effect of religious involvement extends to an overall pattern of regular health practices that may constitute a lifestyle.

Purpose: Building on prior research, we test whether religious individuals tend to engage in healthier lifestyles than individuals who are less religious.

Methods: Using data collected from a statewide probability sample of 1,369 Texas adults, we estimate a series of ordinary least squares regression models to assess the net effect of religious involvement on overall healthy lifestyle scores.

Religious attendance and the health behaviors of Texas adults.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to test whether religious involvement is associated with a broad range of health behaviors.

Method: We employ data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults, a statewide probability sample of 1504 Texas adults. Using these data, we estimate a series of logistic regression models to assess the net effects of religious attendance on 12 health behaviors.

Attendance at religious services and mortality in a national sample.

Research and theory increasingly suggest that attendance at religious services is protective against premature mortality. However, prior studies are limited and do not extensively explore potential explanations for the relationship, especially in terms of religious beliefs and behaviors associated with service attendance. This study estimates the impact of service attendance on mortality in a national probability sample and provides the most extensive empirical examination of potential explanations.

Age-related declines in activity level: the relationship between chronic illness and religious activities.

Objectives: When they are faced with major life transitions such as worsening health, older adults may selectively withdraw from activities. Because of the importance of religion to a large proportion of the elderly population, research is needed to determine whether levels of religious involvement are affected by serious health problems such as the onset of a chronic disease.

Methods: Multiple waves of data from the Duke Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly were used to analyze the effects of five different chronic conditions on two religious activities: service attendance and religious media use.

Volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups.

There are a number of reasons why volunteering might yield mental health benefits, especially to older people. Volunteer work improves access to social and psychological resources, which are known to counter negative moods such as depression and anxiety. Analysis of three waves of data from the Americans' Changing Lives data set (1986, 1989, 1994) reveals that volunteering does lower depression levels for those over 65, while prolonged exposure to volunteering benefits both populations.

Correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality in American adults.

To advance knowledge in the study of spirituality and physical health, we examined sociodemographic, behavioral, and attitudinal correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1,422 adult respondents to the 1998 General Social Survey. They were asked, among other things, to rate themselves on the depth of their spirituality and the depth of their religiousness.