2010 Pre-conference
Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health (STH) conducted a Request for Research Proposals (RFP) entitled "Religion and Health: Effects, Mechanisms, and Interpretation" for research to elucidate how religion/spirituality influences individual and community health. This RFP focused on the health effects of active involvement in faith communities (religious attendance, worship, altruistic and caring activities).
The goals of this research are to (1) document effects on health (where health is broadly defined), (2) clarify the biological, social, psychological mechanisms involved, and (3) interpret what the findings mean for individual, congregational, and community health through trans-disciplinary collaboration and deliberation. This research will advance scientific understanding of the mechanisms by which spirituality has an impact on health. It will build on previous findings regarding the association between religious attendance and health and will enhance our ability to interpret these findings through the engagement of multiple disciplines including theology and others. The Society is happy to offer these pre-conference presentations to showcase this work. The schedule and descriptions are below.
June 15, 2010
back to top
"A Longitudinal Study of Spiritual Engagement, Self-Transcendence, and Human Flourishing"
John Astin, PhD & Cassandra Vieten, PhD California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute
Proposal Summary: Over the past several years, our team has been engaged in research on the mechanisms by which spiritual practices and experiences as part of participation in lay spiritual practice programs result in improved health and well-being, including psychological, emotional and physical health, as well as aspect of prosocial development such as love, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and altruism. The study is a prospective cohort study of participants from three lay spiritual practice communities. The aim of the study is to determine to what extent various aspects of engagement in the context of spiritual practice community influence health outcomes, and to what extent this influence is mediated by spiritual practices/experiences.
back to top
"Determining the Relative Effectiveness of Faith-Based and Secular Substance Abuse Treatment Service Providers: A Comparison of Client Outcomes"
Thomas Gais, PhD & Amelia Arria, PhD Rockefeller Institute State University of New York & University of Maryland
Proposal Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of religiosity on patient outcomes in substance abuse treatment programs. Participants will be assigned to programs that vary in religiosity, and researchers will measure outcomes such as abstinence, employment, criminal behavior and independent living. Researchers will examine possible mediating factors and causal paths involving religion which may account for program impacts by asking participants about specific religious aspects of the programs.
back to top
"Religion-Health Mechanisms among African American Men and Women"
Cheryl L. Holt, PhD & Eddie M. Clark, PhD University of Maryland, College Park; Saint Louis University
Proposal Summary: The researchers propose to study African Americans because they are generally high in religious involvement but also suffer from more health disparities than other populations. The study will examine possible mediators of the religion-health connection including lay caring, spiritual capital, social support, and a healthy lifestyle. This information can later be applied to health promotion and reduction of health disparities.
back to top
"Religion, Aging, and Mexican American Health"
Neal Krause, PhD University of Michigan
Proposal Summary: An ongoing program is assessing race, church-based social relationships, and health in late life through a longitudinal survey conducted with a nationally-representative sample of older whites and older blacks. This study will incorporate a comprehensive survey to assess various facets of religion among older Mexican Americans. This data will then be used to analyze race differences, explore the specific religious beliefs that foster church-based social relationships, and evaluate the effects of church-based social support on health. Social relationships that will be assessed include social support, close companion friendships, negative interaction, and relationships that arise in formal church roles, such as Bible study groups, prayer groups, and church-based volunteer programs.
back to top
"Understanding Social and Personal Aspects of Faith and Practice Related to Health"
Robert McKeown, PhD & Holly Pope, MSPH University of South Carolina
Proposal Summary: This study will assess aspects of faith and practice that may impact health, such as prayer, beliefs, religious involvement, social capital, trust and outlook on life. Three groups will be compared, a group of adults who have completed a program which sought to create more caring communities, a group of adults who attend church regularly, and a group of adults who do not attend church regularly. In addition, the researchers will examine participants’ motivations for group participation, explore mechanisms through which participation benefits health, and develop an instrument to assess social capital, health outcomes, and dimensions of faith and practice.
back to top
"Investigation of the Effects and Mechanisms of Religious Involvement on the Physical and Mental Health of African American Caregivers"
Michael Sheridan, PhD; Susanne Bennett, PhD & Barbara Soniat, PhD The Catholic University of America
Proposal Summary: The overall aim of the proposed study is to investigate the relative contribution of religious involvement to physical and mental health among African-American caregivers. Specifically, the study will examine that relationship between several measures of involvement (religious attendance, level of engagement, organizational religious activities, non-organizational religious activities, intrinsic religiosity, and self-rated religiosity and spirituality) and indicators of physical and mental health. The research will also investigate the utility of the Spirituality-Stress-Adaptation Model of Caregiving by exploring the linkages between religious involvement, spiritual rewards of caregiving, and caregiving stress and adaptation variables. The proposed study addresses the overall goals of the RFP by contributing knowledge about the influence of religious involvement on individual health and exploring the psychosocial mechanisms underlying this influence.
back to top
"Religious Community and the Hispanic Paradox: A Theological Model of Why Mexican Immigrants Have Better Health than Americans"
Patrick Steffen, PhD & Brent Slife, PhD Brigham Young University
Proposal Summary: The American population is becoming more diverse, with Hispanic immigration playing a large role in this transition. Recently arrived Hispanic immigrants to the United States have lower levels of cardiovascular disease than European Americans, but as immigrants acculturate their cardiovascular disease increases dramatically. Preliminary evidence indicates that religiosity is health protective for immigrants. The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the role of religiosity in cardiovascular disease in Hispanic immigrants as they acculturate to life in the United States. Specifically it is hypothesized that religious community, religious coping, religious behavior, and religious values will buffer against the negative effects of acculturation on health and will be related to low cardiovascular disease risk.
back to top