Int J Psychiatry Med. 2001;31(4):415-25.


The relationship between attendance at religious services and cardiovascular inflammatory markers.


OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown an association between attendance at religious services and health, particularly cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Little research has focused on religious attendance and physiological markers of cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between religious attendance and inflammatory markers of cardiovascular risk.  CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that people who have attended religious services in the previous year are less likely to have elevated levels of certain inflammatory markers, however, current smoking has significant shared variance with religious attendance.

PMID: 11949739 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Int J Psychiatry Med. 1997;27(3):233-50.


Attendance at religious services, interleukin-6, and other biological parameters of immune function in older adults.

Koenig HG, Cohen HJ, George LK, Hays JC, Larson DB, Blazer DG.

Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, USA.

OBJECTIVE: First, to examine and explain the relationship between religious service attendance and plasma Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and second, to examine the relationship between religious attendance and other immune-system regulators and inflammatory substances. CONCLUSIONS: There is a weak relationship between religious attendance and high IL-6 levels that could not be explained by other covariates, depression, or negative life events. This finding provides some support for the hypothesis that older adults who frequently attend religious services have healthier immune systems, although mechanism of effect remains unknown.



C-reactive protein, diabetes, and attendance at religious services.


OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown an association between attendance at religious services and health, particularly cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. People with diabetes have higher risk of cardiovascular mortality and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels than people without diabetes. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between religious attendance and CRP in people with diabetes.  CONCLUSIONS: These findings revealed that people with diabetes who have not attended religious services in the previous year are more likely to have elevated levels of CRP. Further research should be conducted to evaluate this association to improve our understanding of the psychological and religious factors that influence diabetes.

Publication Types:
Multicenter Study

PMID: 12087015 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]