|
Regular attendance at religious functions may be
related to a longer life, a new study reveals. Researchers combined the
results of 29 studies that included information about the religious habits
of nearly 126,000 people. They found that people who had more religious
involvement had lower mortality and increased survival rates compared
with those who did not.
The odds of survival for people who scored higher
on measures of public and private religious involvement were 29% higher
than those who scored lower on such measures.Researchers stressed that
religion is just another health factor, but probably not nearly as important
a factor as not smoking, although people who participate in public religious
events are less likely to smoke. They also drink less and have a slightly
elevated tendency to stay married -- all of which may positively affect
a person's physical health.Another possible explanation is that religious
people who experience stress or crisis tend to maintain a sense of meaning
and hope about their lives, which may help them get through the tough
situations.
Health Psychology 2000;19.
| 