Gender differences in the association between religious involvement and depression: The Cache County (Utah) study

Maria C. Norton, Ingmar Skoog, Lynn M. Franklin, Christopher Corcoran, Jo Ann T. Tschanz, Peter P. Zandi, John C.S. Breitner, Kathleen A. Welsh-Bohmer, David C. Steffens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examined the relation between religious involvement, membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and major depression in a population-based study of aging and dementia in Cache County, Utah. Participants included 4,468 nondemented individuals between the ages of 65 and 100 years who were interviewed in person. In logistic regression models adjusting for demographic and health variables, frequent church attendance was associated with a reduced prevalence of depression in women but increased prevalence in men. Social role loss and the potential impact of organizational power differential by sex are discussed. Though causality cannot be determined here, these findings suggest that the association between religious involvement and depression may differ substantially between men and women.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)P129-P136
JournalJournals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Volume61
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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