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Do people turn to religion in times of stress?: an examination of change in religiousness among elderly, medically ill patients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Chen, YY; Koenig, HG
Published in: J Nerv Ment Dis
February 2006

This study examined the effect of health-related stress on changes in religiousness in a sample of elderly, medically ill patients. Patients admitted to Duke University Medical Center (N = 745) were interviewed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Increases in illness severity (from baseline to follow-up) were associated with decreases in both organizational and private religiousness at follow-up. Effect of illness severity on organizational religiousness was statistically mediated by changes in physical activity, while its effect on private religiousness remained significant after controlling for physical activity. These findings encourage further research investigating causal relationships between stress and religion, as well as identifying measures of religiousness that may capture this construct in the medically ill population.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Nerv Ment Dis

DOI

ISSN

0022-3018

Publication Date

February 2006

Volume

194

Issue

2

Start / End Page

114 / 120

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Spirituality
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Psychiatry
  • Motor Activity
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Chen, Y. Y., & Koenig, H. G. (2006). Do people turn to religion in times of stress?: an examination of change in religiousness among elderly, medically ill patients. J Nerv Ment Dis, 194(2), 114–120. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nmd.0000198143.63662.fb
Chen, Yung Y., and Harold G. Koenig. “Do people turn to religion in times of stress?: an examination of change in religiousness among elderly, medically ill patients.J Nerv Ment Dis 194, no. 2 (February 2006): 114–20. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nmd.0000198143.63662.fb.
Chen, Yung Y., and Harold G. Koenig. “Do people turn to religion in times of stress?: an examination of change in religiousness among elderly, medically ill patients.J Nerv Ment Dis, vol. 194, no. 2, Feb. 2006, pp. 114–20. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/01.nmd.0000198143.63662.fb.

Published In

J Nerv Ment Dis

DOI

ISSN

0022-3018

Publication Date

February 2006

Volume

194

Issue

2

Start / End Page

114 / 120

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Spirituality
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Psychiatry
  • Motor Activity
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies