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Factors Associated with Mental and Behavioral Health Programming in U.S. Rural, Urban and Suburban Congregations
CeRon Ford1, Katie Rydberg2, Carrie Henning-Smith2
1Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Mayo Mail Code 729, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. ford0588@umn.edu.
Journal of Religion and Health
|August 8, 2025
Summary
Faith-based institutions in urban and suburban areas with larger congregations are more likely to offer mental health programs. Factors like voter registration efforts and discussing science and religion also correlate with providing these services.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology of Religion
- Mental Healthcare Access
Background:
- Rural residents in the U.S. face greater mental health challenges and access barriers compared to urban populations.
- Faith-based institutions can bridge gaps in mental and behavioral healthcare accessibility.
- Understanding factors influencing congregational mental health programming is crucial for improving community support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors associated with mental and behavioral health programming within rural, urban, and suburban congregations in the U.S.
- To analyze the relationship between congregational characteristics and the provision of mental health support.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 1,262 U.S. congregations using the 2018-2019 National Congregations Study.
- Logistic regression models were employed to examine associations between mental health programming and county classification.
- Sociodemographic and sociopolitical factors were controlled for in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Larger urban and suburban congregations (>500 attendees) were significantly more likely to offer mental health programming (OR=3.43).
- Congregations engaged in voter registration efforts (OR=5.36) and discussions on science and religion (OR=3.16) showed increased likelihood of providing programming.
- Congregations following the prosperity gospel were more likely to offer mental health support in both rural (OR=4.37) and urban/suburban (OR=2.61) settings.
Conclusions:
- Urban and suburban congregations are more likely to provide mental health programming than rural ones, influenced by size and specific activities.
- Sociodemographic, sociopolitical, and theological factors (e.g., prosperity gospel) play a complex role in the provision of mental health services by congregations.
- Further research is needed to assess the quality and utilization of mental health programs offered by faith-based institutions across different community types.
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