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Gender differences in the association between religious involvement and depression: the Cache County (Utah) study
Maria C Norton1, Ingmar Skoog, Lynn M Franklin
1Department of Family, Consumer and Human Development, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4440, USA. mnorton@cc.usu.edu
Summary
Religious involvement impacts depression differently in older adults. Frequent church attendance reduced depression in women but increased it in men, suggesting sex-based differences in this association.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Sociology of Religion
Background:
- Religious involvement is often linked to mental health benefits.
- However, the relationship between religious participation and depression may vary by demographic factors such as sex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between religious involvement and major depression among older adults.
- To explore potential sex differences in this relationship within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints community.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study in Cache County, Utah, involving 4,468 nondemented individuals aged 65-100.
- In-person interviews and logistic regression analyses adjusting for demographic and health variables.
Main Results:
- Frequent church attendance was associated with lower depression prevalence in women.
- Conversely, frequent church attendance was linked to higher depression prevalence in men.
Conclusions:
- The association between religious involvement and depression is not uniform and appears to differ significantly between men and women.
- Social role loss and organizational power differentials by sex may influence these observed associations.