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Cited by 341Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyReligion and Society InteractionsHealth disparities and outcomes

Does Religious Attendance Prolong Survival? A Six-Year Follow-Up Study of 3,968 Older Adults

Koenig, H. G., Hays, J. C., Larson, D. B., George, L. K., Cohen, H. J., McCullough, M. E., Meador, K. G., Blazer, D. G.·1999·The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
DOI 10.1093/gerona/54.7.m370
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Abstract

METHODS: A probability sample of 3,968 community-dwelling adults aged 64-101 years residing in the Piedmont of North Carolina was surveyed in 1986 as part of the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) program of the National Institutes of Health. Attendance at religious services and a wide variety of sociodemographic and health variables were assessed at baseline. Vital status of members was then determined prospectively over the next 6 years (1986 1992). Time (days) to death or censoring in days was analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: During a median 6.3-year follow-up period, 1,777 subjects (29.7%) died. Of the subjects who attended religious services once a week or more in 1986 (frequent attenders), 22.9% died compared to 37.4% of those attending services less than once a week (infrequent attenders). The relative hazard (RH) of dying for frequent attenders was 46% less than for infrequent attenders (RH: 0.54, 95% CI 0.48-.0.61), an effect that was strongest in women (RH 0.51, CI 0.434).59) but also present in men (RH 0.63, 95% CI 0.52-0.75). When demographics, health conditions, social connections, and health practices were controlled, this effect remained significant for the entire sample (RH 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-.81), and for both women (RH 0.65, 95% CI 0.554-.76, p<.0001) and men (RH 0.83, 95% CI 0.69-1.00, p=.05). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults, particularly women, who attend religious services at least once a week appear to have a survival advantage over those attending services less frequently.

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  • Of the 18 best studies, three (20%) reported positive relationships (worse pain in the more R/S).

    “Of the 18 best studies, nine (50%) reported inverse relationships (less pain among the more R/S [534] or reduced pain in response to a R/S intervention [535–542]), while three (20%) reported positive relationships (worse pain in the more R/S) [543–545].”

    From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [543]

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Authors
Koenig, H. G., Hays, J. C., Larson, D. B., George, L. K., Cohen, H. J., McCullough, M. E., Meador, K. G., & Blazer, D. G.
Affiliations
  • Duke University (US)
  • Duke Medical Center (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
ORCID
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
1999-07-01
Volume
54
Issue
7
Pages
M370-M376
ISSN
  • 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-535X
DOI
10.1093/gerona/54.7.m370
OpenAlex
W2113792506
Cited by
341
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 11
FWCI
15.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (n01ag012102-011)
  • National Institute on Aging (AG-12102)
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, survival, older adults, sex differences, religiosity and health, community-dwelling older adults
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Religion, Sex Factors

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