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Aging, health, and the "electronic church".

Publication ,  Journal Article
Hays, JC; Landerman, LR; Blazer, DG; Koenig, HG; Carroll, JW; Musick, MA
Published in: J Aging Health
November 1998

We tested whether elders substitute religious media use for church attendance when health declines (using multidimensional disengagement theory) with data from a multiracial, population-based sample in the Bible Belt (N = 2,971). In adjusted models, 3-year declines in functional status were significantly associated with concurrent reduction in frequency of church attendance but not with any change in rates of religious media (TV/radio) use. Age-related declines in church attendance were substantively explained by declining functional ability. Changes in religious media use were independent of age and less sensitive to declining functional status or service attendance than to cultural heritage such as race, socioeconomic status, and rural upbringing. Our data do not support the hypothesis that elders with deteriorating health substitute increased engagement with religious media as their participation in organizational religious activities is reduced. However, applicability of the substitution hypothesis to other dimensions of nonorganizational religiousness (e.g., prayer) awaits similar scrutiny.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Aging Health

DOI

ISSN

0898-2643

Publication Date

November 1998

Volume

10

Issue

4

Start / End Page

458 / 482

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Television
  • Social Behavior
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Radio
  • Prospective Studies
  • Models, Statistical
  • Humans
  • Health Status
 

Citation

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Hays, J. C., Landerman, L. R., Blazer, D. G., Koenig, H. G., Carroll, J. W., & Musick, M. A. (1998). Aging, health, and the "electronic church". J Aging Health, 10(4), 458–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/089826439801000404
Hays, J. C., L. R. Landerman, D. G. Blazer, H. G. Koenig, J. W. Carroll, and M. A. Musick. “Aging, health, and the "electronic church".J Aging Health 10, no. 4 (November 1998): 458–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/089826439801000404.
Hays JC, Landerman LR, Blazer DG, Koenig HG, Carroll JW, Musick MA. Aging, health, and the "electronic church". J Aging Health. 1998 Nov;10(4):458–82.
Hays, J. C., et al. “Aging, health, and the "electronic church".J Aging Health, vol. 10, no. 4, Nov. 1998, pp. 458–82. Pubmed, doi:10.1177/089826439801000404.
Hays JC, Landerman LR, Blazer DG, Koenig HG, Carroll JW, Musick MA. Aging, health, and the "electronic church". J Aging Health. 1998 Nov;10(4):458–482.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Aging Health

DOI

ISSN

0898-2643

Publication Date

November 1998

Volume

10

Issue

4

Start / End Page

458 / 482

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Television
  • Social Behavior
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Radio
  • Prospective Studies
  • Models, Statistical
  • Humans
  • Health Status