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Cited by 134Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAging and Gerontology Research

Religion and Cognitive Dysfunction in an Elderly Cohort

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Van Ness, P. H., Kasl, S. V.·2003·The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
DOI 10.1093/geronb/58.1.s21PMC PMC4353608
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study examines whether attendance at religious services has an inverse association with cognitive dysfunction in an elderly cohort in whom it has already been shown that religious attendance has an inverse association with physical disability and that social engagement has an inverse association with cognitive decline. METHODS: The study population is a racially and religiously diverse sample of 2,812 community-dwelling men and women from New Haven, Connecticut; it was representative of New Haven in 1982, but not of the United States then or now. The primary study hypothesis proposes that attendance at religious services as measured in 1982 contributes to the prediction of lower levels of cognitive dysfunction in 1985 and 1988. A multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for seven sociodemographic, four behavioral, and seven biomedical covariables is conducted. RESULTS: Study results show an inverse association between religious attendance in 1982 and cognitive dysfunction in 1985 (odds ratio = 0.64; 95% confidence interval = 0.49, 0.85). Religious attendance as measured in 1982 no longer contributes to the prediction of cognitive dysfunction in 1988. DISCUSSION: The short-term nature of the effect is partially explained by differential mortality. Persons with infrequent religious service attendance and with high levels of cognitive dysfunction in 1982 were more likely to die in the period from 1985 to 1988.

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  • Measures described as assessing one particular social concept may contain elements that assess other distinct social concepts.

    “Indeed, measures described as assessing one particular concept may contain elements that assess other distinct social concepts.”

    From Social Isolation and Cognitive Function in Later Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2019) · cites this paper as [39]

  • Nine studies examined the relationship between R/S and stroke, of which four reported a lower risk of stroke, all having quality ratings of seven or higher.

    “We located nine studies that examined this relationship, of which four reported a lower risk of stroke, all having quality ratings of seven or higher [414–417].”

    From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [416]

    The Statistical Analysis section identifies cognitive dysfunction, not stroke, as the outcome. Stroke appears as a biomedical variable in the Bivariate Analyses and tables; searches for stroke risk, study counts, and quality ratings found no passage supporting the attributed claim. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Centofani, M. (1998). Fear of Alzheimer's disease undermines the health of elderly patients. American Psychological Association Monitor, 29(6), 1, 33.
  2. Larson, D. B., Swyers, J. P., & McCullough, M. E. (Eds.). (1997). Scientific research on spirituality and health: A consensus report. Rockville, MD: National Institute for Healthcare Research.
  3. Weintraub, S., Powell, D. H., & Whitla, D. K. (1994). Successful cognitive aging: Individual differences among physicians on a computerized test of mental state. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27, 15-34.

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Authors
Van Ness, P. H., & Kasl, S. V.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2003-01-01
Volume
58
Issue
1
Pages
S21-S29
ISSN
  • 1079-5014 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-5368
DOI
10.1093/geronb/58.1.s21
PMC
PMC4353608
OpenAlex
W2149480969
Cited by
134
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
FWCI
2.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series B (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Yale University
  • Raymond and Beverly Sackler Institute for Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Yale University
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH14235-24, T32MH014235)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Keywords
religious service attendance, cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, older adults, mortality, social engagement, physical disability, community-dwelling older adults, religiosity and health
MeSH terms
Aged, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Male, Religion, Socioeconomic Factors, Cohort Studies

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