Cited by 176Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyReligion and Society InteractionsHealth disparities and outcomes

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Frequency of Attendance at Religious Services and Mortality in a U.S. National Cohort

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Gillum, R.F., King, Dana E., Obisesan, Thomas O., Koenig, Harold G.·2008·Annals of Epidemiology

DOI 10.1016/j.annepidem.2007.10.015PMC PMC2659561

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Abstract

Objective Few nationally representative cohort studies have appeared on frequency of attendance at religious services and mortality. We test the hypothesis that > weekly attendance compared with nonattendance at religious services is associated with lower probability of future mortality in such a study.Methods Data were analyzed from a longitudinal follow-up study of 8450 American men and women age 40 years and older who were examined from 1988 to 1994 and followed an average of 8.5 years. Measurements at baseline included self-reported frequency of attendance at religious services, sociodemographics, and health, physical and biochemical measurements.Results Death during follow-up occurred in 2058. After adjusting for confounding by baseline sociodemographics and health status, the hazards ratios (95% confidence limits) were never 1.00 (reference); < weekly 0.89 (0.75-1.04), p = 0.15; weekly 0.82 (0.71-0.94) p = 0.005; and > weekly attenders 0.70 (0.59-0.83), p < 0.001. Mediators, including health behaviors and inflammation, explained part of the association.Conclusions In a nationwide cohort of Americans, predominantly Christians, analyses demonstrated a lower risk of death independent of confounders among those reporting religious attendance at least weekly compared to never. The association was substantially mediated by health behaviors and other risk factors.

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Authors: Gillum, R. F., King, D. E., Obisesan, T. O., & Koenig, H. G.
Affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
Medical University of South Carolina (US)
Howard University (US)
Duke University (US)
Corresponding author: Gillum, R.F.
ORCID: Gillum, R.F.
King, Dana E.
Obisesan, Thomas O.
Koenig, Harold G.
Venue: Annals of Epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2008-02
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Pages: 124-129
ISSN: 1047-2797 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2007.10.015
PMC: PMC2659561
OpenAlex: W2093838162
Cited by: 176
References: 50
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 9
FWCI: 10.20
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: Annals of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: National Institute on Aging (AG00980, K23AG000980)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords: religious service attendance, mortality, religiosity, health behavior, inflammation, mediation, older adults
MeSH terms: Adult, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Religion, United States, Cohort Studies, Spirituality

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Frequency of Attendance at Religious Services and Mortality in a U.S. National Cohort

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