Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1987 Mar;26(1):9-36.
doi: 10.1007/BF01533291.

Is there a religious factor in health?

J S Levin  1 , P L Schiller
Affiliations

Is there a religious factor in health?

J S Levin et al. J Relig Health. 1987 Mar.

Abstract

This paper reviews epidemiologic studies employing religion as an independent construct, and finds that most epidemiologists have an extremely limited appreciation of religion. After a historical overview of empirical religion and health research, some theoretical considerations are offered, followed by clarification of several operational and methodological issues. Next, well over 200 studies are reviewed from nine health-related areas: cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, colitis and enteritis, general health status, general mortality, cancer of the uterine corpus and cervix, all other non-uterine cancers, morbidity and mortality in the clergy, and cancer in India. Finally, an agenda for further research is proposed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Br Med J. 1910 Jun 18;1(2581):1470-2 - PubMed
    1. Am J Epidemiol. 1977 May;105(5):444-9 - PubMed
    1. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1983 Jun;70(6):1011-4 - PubMed
    1. Am J Clin Nutr. 1968 Aug;21(8):853-62 - PubMed
    1. Am J Epidemiol. 1984 May;119(5):775-87 - PubMed