Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project
Spirituality and Lifestyle: What Clinicians Need to Know
Abstract
Of all influences religion may have on health, the most intuitively plausible and uncontroversial concerns patients' health-related habits and behaviors. At least part of the epidemiologic association between religious involvement and mortality is accounted for by inverse associations between religious involvement and detrimental health behaviors and less consistent positive associations between religious involvement and beneficial health behaviors. Levin notes that these are best understood as indirect associations, rather than as confounders, because they “do not ‘explain away' the health effects of religious involvement but rather elucidate the pathways and mechanisms by which being religious and practicing religion seem to benefit health.”1This content is limited to qualifying members.
Existing members, please login first
If you have an existing account please login now to access this article or view purchase options.
Purchase only this article ($25)
Create a free account, then purchase this article to download or access it online for 24 hours.
Purchase an SMJ online subscription ($75)
Create a free account, then purchase a subscription to get complete access to all articles for a full year.
Purchase a membership plan (fees vary)
Premium members can access all articles plus recieve many more benefits. View all membership plans and benefit packages.
References
1. Levin JS. How religion influences morbidity and health: reflections on natural history, salutogenesis and host resistance. Soc Sci Med 1996;43:849–864.
2. Strawbridge WJ, Shema SJ, Cohen RD, et al. Religious attendance increases survival by improving and maintaining good health behaviors, mental health, and social relationships. Ann Behav Med2001;23:68–74.
3. Reindl Benjamins M, Brown C. Religion and preventative health care utilization among the elderly.Soc Sci Med 2004;58:109–118.
