Faith and Health Outcomes
Faith helps. We worship our Lord and Savior because it is the right and proper thing to do, and we are called to do it by Jesus. However, in his mercy, he knows that we are the main beneficiaries of that worship, as faith builds endurance, patience, perseverance, and apparently, a bit of health. While we are all finite, fragile beings, faith leads to better health outcomes. Christians have known this for centuries, but medical science is only discovering it now.
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In a 2020 study, all-cause mortality rates were lower among those who were more religiously involved (e.g., regularly attending religious services). This study followed thousands of people for years and is considered a gold standard for measuring health outcomes among Christians. McCullough et al. found that those who were less religiously involved were more vulnerable to death at follow-up compared to those who were more religiously involved, even after controlling for demographic variables, health behavior, and social support.
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Similarly, research participants who report the most frequent religious service attendance have a 47% reduction of all-cause mortality compared with those who did not attend any religious services. In a longitudinal study that followed adults with cancer for more than 30 years, cancer mortality was found to be lower for those who attended church more frequently, when age and gender were taken into account.
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In a review of 326 quantitative studies examining the relationship between well-being and spirituality/religion, 79% found a statistically significant positive association.
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All of these studies on mortality and religion are compelling because of the large sample sizes, longitudinal nature, and ability to control for key variables (e.g., health status and functioning).
In one study conducted with 211 African American college students (predominantly Christians), researchers found that students with pro-religious, intrinsic, or extrinsic religious orientations were more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors, including eating well, reporting symptoms to a physician, and using stress management techniques.
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But it is not just college students who gain with faith. Among older adults, religion and spirituality are predictors of positive emotions, such as life satisfaction, in studies that measure primarily Christians. These positive emotions may play a role in engaging in positive health behaviors.
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When religion/spirituality is conceptualized as a bond or attachment to God, paralleling human experiences with attachment to a key caregiver figure, religious attachment predicts psychological well-being and life satisfaction.
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Part of the reason is surely that those with faith tend to take better care of themselves. Research also indicates that when health messages align with patients' religious/spiritual beliefs, they are more likely to engage in health promotion programs. This is exemplified by a HeartSmarts Program targeted to African Americans that incorporated both scriptures and evidence-based health promotion messages. Another health promotion program targeted to Latinos provided information on healthy living in a Catholic religious context. In both cases, participants were more likely to engage in positive health-promoting behaviors when the health educational components were viewed as consistent with their faith.
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Our bodies are the most complex entities in the physical universe, and they are a divine gift from God. They are not only miraculous and fascinating to study but also serve as temples of the Holy Spirit. We have a sacred duty to value and care for our bodies, honoring the gift we have been given.
While we understand that illness and disease are consequences of sin, evil, and brokenness in the world rather than curses from God, we can find reassurance that faith in our Lord can aid us physically no matter our present state of health.
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Sources:
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McCullough ME, Hoyt WT, Larson DB, Koenig HG, Thoresen C. Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychol. 2000;19(3):211-222.
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Oman D, Kurata JH, Strawbridge WJ, Cohen RD. Religious attendance and cause of death over 31 years. Int J Psychiatry Med. 2002;32(1):69-89.
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Southard ME, Page RL, Peltzer JN, Burdette AM, Hill TD. Religiosity and health: a holistic biopsychosocial perspective. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 2020;38(1):89-101.
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Bruce MA. Religious service attendance and mortality among older Black men. PloS One. 2022;17(9):e0273806.
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Wüthrich-Grossenbacher U, Midzi N, Mutsaka-Makuvaza MJ, Mutsinze A. Religious and traditional beliefs and practices as predictors of mental and physical health outcomes and the role of religious affiliation in health outcomes and risk taking.
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Koenig HG. Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012;278730:1-33.
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Turner-Musa JO, Wilson SA. Religious orientation and social support on health-promoting behaviors of African American college students. J Community Psychol. 2006;34(1):105-115.
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Augustyn BD, Hall TW, Wang DC, Hill PC. Relational spirituality: an attachment-based model of spiritual development and psychological well-being. Psycholog Relig Spiritual. 2017;9(2):197-208.
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Barman P, Sahaa A, Dakua M, Roy A. Does the intensity of religiosity and spirituality in later life improve mental well-being? Evidence from India. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging. 2023;35(4):455-475.
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Tettey N, Duran P, Andersen H, Washington N, Boutin-Foster C. "It's like backing up science with scripture:" lessons learned from the implementation of HeartSmarts, a faith-based cardiovascular disease health education program. J Relig Health. 2016;55(3):1078-1088.
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Schwingel A, Galvez P. Divine interventions: faith-based approaches to health promotion programs for Latinos. J Relig Health. 2016;55(6):1891-1906.