@article{ref1,
title="Religious-service attendance and subsequent health and well-being throughout adulthood: evidence from three prospective cohorts",
journal="International journal of epidemiology",
year="2020",
author="Chen, Ying and Kim, Eric S. and Vanderweele, Tyler J.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Religious-service attendance has been linked with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, suicide and depression. Yet, its associations with other health and well-being outcomes remain less clear.   METHODS: Using longitudinal data from three large prospective cohorts in the USA, this study examined the association between religious-service attendance and a wide range of subsequent physical health, health-behaviour, psychological distress and psychological well-being outcomes in separate cohorts of young, middle-aged and older adults. All analyses adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics, prior health status and prior values of the outcome variables whenever data were available. Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing.   RESULTS: Estimates combining data across cohorts suggest that, compared with those who never attended religious services, individuals who attended services at least once per week had a lower risk of all-cause mortality by 26% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65 to 0.84], heavy drinking by 34% (95% CI: 0.59 to 0.73) and current smoking by 29% (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.80). Service attendance was also inversely associated with a number of psychological-distress outcomes (i.e. depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness) and was positively associated with psychosocial well-being outcomes (i.e. positive affect, life satisfaction, social integration, purpose in life), but was generally not associated with subsequent disease, such as hypertension, stroke, and heart disease.   CONCLUSIONS: Decisions on religious participation are generally not shaped principally by health. Nevertheless, for individuals who already hold religious beliefs, religious-service attendance may be a meaningful form of social integration that potentially relates to greater longevity, healthier behaviours, better mental health and greater psychosocial well-being.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0300-5771",
doi="10.1093/ije/dyaa120",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa120"
}