Religious Identity and Health Inequalities in Canada

Abstract

In the past few decades, most new immigrants to Canada have originated from non-Christian countries. During the same period, the unaffiliation rates have sharply increased in Canada. This paper investigates whether there are any health inequalities associated with religious identity, including also the individuals who do not identify with organized religion in the analysis. The study uses the Canadian General Social Survey of 2012 (N = 23,093), focused on Caregiving and Care-receiving. Employing multivariate regression analysis and controlling for a large set of characteristics inclusive of the degree of religious commitment, individuals who identify as Protestant are found at a physical and mental health advantage, compared with Roman Catholics and most other groups. On the other hand, individuals who identify as Jehovah's Witnesses are found at a considerable physical health disadvantage. Among the unaffiliated individuals, those who have retained some ties with organized religion without formally identifying with it are found at a mental health disadvantage compared with all religious groups, as well as the secular individuals who are strictly committed to their nonreligious views. Possible causes and various implications are discussed.

The Effects of Sociocultural Transitioning on Accessibility to Healthcare: The Case of Haredi Jews Who Leave Their Communities

“…Disparities in access to healthcare and health services are often identified with minority groups such as immigrants (Hjern et al 2001 ; Szczepura 2005 ), ethnic groups (Mui et al 2017 ), religious minorities (Dilmaghani 2018 ), and sexual minorities (Blondeel et al 2016 ; Szczepura 2005 ; Agudelo-Suárez et al 2012 ; Rosano et al 2017 ; Manuel 2018 ; Taylor and Lurie 2004 ). Accessibility to healthcare is a complex and multifactorial construct that depends on extrinsic/organizational factors such as affordability, location, and differential provisions, and/or on personal factors such as linguistic competence, cultural competence, health literacy, or cultural differences in the perception of healthcare (Andersen 2008 ; Keith-Lucas 1972 ; Cassidy et al 2018 ).…”

Which Non-Pharmaceutical Primary Care Interventions Reduce Inequalities in Common Mental Health Disorders? A Protocol for a Systematic Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Studies

“…Mental health outcomes have also been found to be associated with one’s place of residence, including in terms of access to green space [ 20 ] and living in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage [ 21 ]. Differential rates of mental health problems have also been found to be associated with race and ethnicity [ 22 , 23 , 24 ], occupation [ 25 , 26 , 27 ], religious identity [ 28 , 29 , 30 ], social capital [ 31 ], educational attainment [ 27 , 30 ], age [ 30 ], disability status [ 32 ] and sexual orientation [ 33 ]. Mental ill health is a particular problem in areas of socioeconomic deprivation, where mental health problems can be both a cause and effect of poverty and of social problems such as unemployment, homelessness, debt and violence [ 30 ].…”