The Relationship Between Religious and Psychospiritual Measures and an Inflammation Marker (CRP) in Older Adults Experiencing Life Event Stress

Abstract

Inflammation, often measured by C-reactive protein (CRP), is thought to be related to a number of debilitating illnesses as we age, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Stress has also been implicated in these processes. This study examines potential protective effects of spirituality and religion in older adults who have experienced stressful life events. As part of the nationwide Landmark Study of Spirituality and Health, a subsample of 643 middle-aged and older adults (age ≥ 50) who were at or above the median in number of life stressors (≥ 2) was included in this analysis. Psychospiritual and religious (PS/R) variables included: religious service attendance, prayer, religious meaning, religious hope, general meaning, general hope and sense of peace. Control variables included: age, gender, education, BMI, smoking, alcohol use, social support. Only church attendance predicted significantly lower CRP after controlling for covariates, even above the other PS/R variables (standardized β = - 0.14, t = - 3.23 p = 0.001). Those with frequent religious service attendance were 38% less likely to have clinically elevated CRP than those who attend rarely or never. Religious service attendance may confer protection in older adults experiencing stressful events as it was significantly associated with lower CRP, an inflammatory marker associated with illness.

“Like a wake-up call for humankind”: Views, challenges, and coping strategies related to public health measures during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Thailand

“…Mills and colleagues describe the Thai culturally embedded coping strategy of acceptance ('Thum-jai') as "accepting and letting go of the negative situation, forgetting the bad feeling, calming or steadying the mind, and developing patience and understanding" [86], finding that the emotion-based coping strategy of 'Thum-jai' helped Thai people develop purposeful approaches of thinking and acting in light of adverse events which cannot be changed [87]. Our findings also echo other research on the positive association between social support and coping from Thailand (e.g., HIV [88], breast cancer [89,90] and COVID-19 [91]) and internationally (e.g., religious coping in the context of COVID-19 [92][93][94][95], healthy ageing [96] and terminal illness [97]), highlighting the important and beneficial role of spirituality and religion in coping with adverse health events and crises. Similarly, a qualitative study examining mental health impacts and coping strategies among disadvantaged groups in India during COVID-19 lockdown found that religion and devotional practices played an important role in participants coping strategies, by helping them make sense and find meaning in the COVID-19 crisis.…”

Social support through religion and psychological well-being: COVID-19 and coping strategies in Indonesia

“…Religious practices and beliefs are considered as a springboard for medical care and treatment (Corman et al, 2020 ). In addition, numerous researchers have found that spirituality and religiosity are directly associated with better health outcomes, life satisfaction, longevity, and happiness (Greeley et al, 2006 ; Haslam et al, 2018 ; Ironson et al, 2018 ).…”

ADHD, Religiosity, and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Adolescence and Adulthood

“…A large literature documents significant, and predominantly positive, statistical correlations between religiosity and different domains of health. Studies on general medical conditions show that religious attendance and other measures of faith inversely correlate with such outcomes as all-cause mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, cancer, and immune dysfunction (Idler et al, 2017; Ironson et al, 2018; Koenig, 2015; Koenig et al, 2020). Often thought to underlie these correlations are inverse relationships of religiosity with mental health problems, such as depression, antisocial behaviors, and substance use (Bremner et al, 2011; George et al, 2002; Morton et al, 2017).…”