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Cited by 202Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyReligion and Society InteractionsHealth disparities and outcomes

Does Private Religious Activity Prolong Survival? A Six-Year Follow-up Study of 3,851 Older Adults

Helm, H. M., Hays, J. C., Flint, E. P., Koenig, H. G., Blazer, D. G.·2000·The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
DOI 10.1093/gerona/55.7.m400
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have linked higher religious attendance and longer survival. In this study, we examine the relationship between survival and private religious activity. METHODS: A probability sample of elderly community-dwelling adults in North Carolina was assembled in 1986 and followed for 6 years. Level of participation in private religious activities such as prayer, meditation, or Bible study was assessed by self-report at baseline, along with a wide variety of sociodemographic and health variables. The main outcome was time (days) to death or censoring. RESULTS: During a median 6.3-year follow-up period, 1,137 subjects (29.5%) died. Those reporting rarely to never participating in private religious activity had an increased relative hazard of dying over more frequent participants, but this hazard did not remain significant for the sample as a whole after adjustment for demographic and health variables. When the sample was divided into activity of daily living (ADL) impaired and unimpaired, the effect did not remain significant for the ADL impaired group after controlling for demographic variables (hazard ratio [RH] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91-1.35). However, the increased hazard remained significant for the ADL unimpaired group even after controlling for demographic and health variables (RH 1.63, 95% CI 1.20-2.21), and this effect persisted despite controlling for numerous explanatory variables including health practices, social support, and other religious practices (RH 1.47, 95% CI 1.07-2.03). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults who participate in private religious activity before the onset of ADL impairment appear to have a survival advantage over those who do not.

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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 [545]

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Authors
Helm, H. M., Hays, J. C., Flint, E. P., Koenig, H. G., & Blazer, D. G.
Affiliations
Duke Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Helm, H. M.
ORCID
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2000-07-01
Volume
55
Issue
7
Pages
M400-M405
ISSN
  • 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-535X
DOI
10.1093/gerona/55.7.m400
OpenAlex
W2169917084
Cited by
202
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
FWCI
8.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • John Templeton Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (n01ag002102-013)
  • National Institute on Aging (N01AG2102)
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
prayer, meditation, Bible study, survival, mortality, older adults, activities of daily living, functional disability, religious participation, social support, health practices
MeSH terms
Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longevity, Male, Prospective Studies, Religion, Cohort Studies

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