Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112696

Monica D. Franklin, MA¹, David G. Schlundt, PhD¹, Rhonda Belue, PhD², Linda McClellan, MPH³, and Margaret K. Hargreaves, PhD⁴. (1) Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, 301 Wilson Hall, Nashville, TN 37203, (615) 322-7800, monica.d.franklin@vanderbilt.edu, (2) Division of Research and Evaluation, Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County Health Department, 311 23rd Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37203, (3) Project REACH 2010, Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Care Center, 1501 Herman Street, Nashville, TN 37208, (4) Department of Internal Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 D.B. Todd Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208

Religious belief and practice are often thought to facilitate better health behaviors and outcomes. We examine religious fatalism as a potential barrier to good health. As part of the evaluation of Nashville's REACH 2010 project, residents (n=1,273) were randomly selected to participate in a telephone survey examining physical and emotional health variables. This survey included the Helpless Inevitability sub-scale of the Religious Health Fatalism Questionnaire, which is designed to measure the belief that God, not the individual, has control over health outcomes. The authors hypothesized that the endorsement of more fatalistic beliefs would be associated with a decrease in health care utilization and an increase in unhealthy behaviors and chronic illness. African-Americans, younger people, and those with less education reported higher levels of fatalistic beliefs with no gender differences. Using analysis of covariance controlling for age and education, the diagnosis of diabetes (p < 0.02), high cholesterol (p<0.0001), and poor perceived health status (p < .0001) are associated with higher fatalism scores. For other predicted associations findings indicate either a lack of a relationship (e.g. smoking, weight status) or unexpected relationships (e.g. certain eating behaviors). Results show that the association between fatalism and health behaviors and outcomes is complex and further study of fatalistic beliefs should investigate the pathways whereby religious fatalism may impact preventive versus reactive health behaviors. The findings suggest that health fatalism may be one aspect of religious belief that has a negative relationship with health.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the association between health fatalism and health behaviors
• Utilize the Religious Health Fatalism Questionnaire as an assessment tool

Keywords: Health Behavior, Religion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.