Does religious observance promote health? mortality in secular vs. Religious kibbutzim in Israel

Jeremy D. Kark, Galia Shemi, Yechiel Friedlander, Oz Martin, Orly Manor, S. H. Blondheim

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Awareness of psychosocial and cultural determinants of health is necessary as a renewed balance and integration is sought between organic biomedical and biopsychosocial models of causation (O’Boyle 1993). The possible association of religion and religiousobservance with health status has long intrigued scholars of diverse disciplines (e.g., Galton 1872). The focal role of religion andits importance in the social and cultural context (as reflected by the persistence and resurgence of religion in human populations) suggest that study of this attribute may provide valuable insights into determinants of health and disease. The question of whether religious belief and practice promote health is unresolved, and the effect may vary according to religion (Kaplan 1976; Jarvis andNorthcott 1987). Different denominations have been compared, but few studies have considered the effect of religiousness within a single religious denomination (Kaplan 1976; Levin and Vanderpool 1987). Except for studies of Mormons (Gardner and Lyon 1982) and Seventh-Day Adventists (Phillips et al. 1978) and a recent investigation of Chinese (Phillips et al. 1993) most within-denomination studies have focused on church attendance as the variable expressing the degree of religiousness (Kaplan 1976; Levin and Vanderpool 1987).However, attendance can be influenced by health status and may not be a determinant thereof (Levin and Markides 1986). Investigationof other dimensions or expressions of religion is worthwhile (Kaplan 1976; Levin and Vanderpool 1987).

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIsrael's Destiny
Subtitle of host publicationFertility and Mortality in a Divided Society
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages243-256
Number of pages14
Volume12
ISBN (Electronic)9781351511308
ISBN (Print)9781412806268
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2007 by Israel Sociological Society.

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