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

Abstract #115591

Jennifer Nolan, PhD student, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University, Martha Van Renselear Building, room 426, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, 607 280 0286, jan36@cornell.edu and Eunice Rodriguez, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University, 252 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850.

This study investigates the relationships between religiosity factors and self-rated physical and mental health outcomes (SF-12) utilizing the NLSY79 (a national U.S. dataset that follows individuals (1979 to present) on life course changes (N= 12686)). For this study, the subcohort of aged forty and over (n=5588) will be analyzed. The hypothesized pathways of social support and lifestyle/behavior will be tested as possible mediating pathways to explain the relationship between religiosity and health. Religion may buffer the impact of stress on health by offering a social support network. Religious attitudes may affect health through encouraging healthy lifestyles or health related behavior for improved well being.

Preliminary results from multiple regression, reveal that increasing religious attendance ranging from several times a year to once a week is associated with better physical health than those that never attended (p<0.05). Educated males (p=0.002) with large family size (p=0.079) and higher net family income (p=0.010) were also more likely to have better physical health. (overall model significance F= 10.275, p<0.000). Frequency of religious attendance greater than once a week was not associated with better physical health (p=0.207). More religious variables such as affiliation, spouse attendance, frequency couples argue about religion and father-child religious participation will be included in subsequent models as well as testing religiosity's effect on mental health. Longitudinal analysis will be performed to analyze the change in health status over time from exposure to religiosity. The mediating and modifying effects of social support and lifestyle behavior will be analyzed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• List key social factors which influence health among adults in the U.S.
• Evaluate the effects of mediating and modifying factors for an improved foundational understanding of theoretical pathways for explaining the relationship between religion and health.
• Apply methods of testing mediating and modifying factors to help explain religion’s effects on health in order to understand how these factors may be better utilized to improve health within various populations.

Keywords: Religion, Health

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.