Cancer risk factors: an analysis of Utah Mormons and non-Mormons

Abstract

In a comparison of Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah, more Mormon men and women married spouses of the same faith, were religiously active, were of Northern Europe ancestry, lived in rural areas, had fewer exposures to occupational hazards, were less likely to smoke cigarettes or drink coffee, tea, and alcohol, used fats in cooking, and were more often married that was the cohort of other religions. No differences existed in occupation, but Mormon men had completed more years of schooling. Mormon women were less likely to be college graduates, had fewer sexual partners, had more pregnancies, were older at first pregnancy, were less likely to use birth control pills, had fewer miscarriages and hysterectomies, examined their breasts more often, and had more breast X-rays. For women, there was only a small difference by religion for age at first intercourse and no difference for age at which they began using birth control pills. Religious activity was examined for Mormons, and in most instances inactive Mormons were more like the non-Mormon population in respect to the variables measured.