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Religiosity prevalence and its association with depression and anxiety symptoms among Hispanic/Latino adults.

TitleReligiosity prevalence and its association with depression and anxiety symptoms among Hispanic/Latino adults.
Publication TypePublication
Year2018
AuthorsLerman S, Jung M, Arredondo EM, Barnhart JM, Cai J, Castañeda SF, Daviglus ML, Espinoza RA, Giachello AL, Molina KM, Perreira K, Salgado H, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Kaplan RC
JournalPLoS One
Volume13
Issue2
Paginatione0185661
Date Published2018
ISSN1932-6203
KeywordsAdolescent, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, religion, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Religion plays an important role in the lives of people in the United States. We examined the prevalence of religiosity among Hispanic/Latinos in four regions of the United States and looked at its correlation to depression and anxiety symptoms.DESIGN: The population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/ Study of Latinos enrolled a cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults (N = 16,415) ages 18-74 in four US cities from June 2008 to June 2011. Participants with complete data on religiosity (i.e., religious affiliation, frequency of attending religious activities and importance of religion), depression (assessed with the CESD-10), and trait anxiety (assessed with the STAI-10) were included in the present study. Distribution of religiosity is described by sociodemographic characteristics. Associations between religiosity with depression and anxiety were examined with logistic regression models controlling for sex, age group, education, Hispanic/Latino background, clinical center, and nativity.RESULTS: The majority of the population (89.5%) reported having a religious affiliation. Weekly attendance at religious activities was reported by 41.6% of participants, while 20.6% did not attend any religious activities. Religion was very important to 63.9% and not at all important to 6.7% of the population. The CES-D scores and trait anxiety scores were not significantly related in the overall group to frequency of attending religious activity or perceived importance of religion. However, in age-stratified analyses, among older individuals (65+ years old) reporting "never" participating in religious activities compared to more than once per week was associated with an 80% higher likelihood of having high depressive symptomatology. Similarly, in the older age group, no religious affiliation or reporting that religion is "not at all important" was associated with greater anxiety symptomatology.CONCLUSION: Religiosity varied by Hispanic/Latino background. Lack of religiosity was associated with elevated depressive or anxiety symptomology in older adults but not in young or middle-aged adults.

DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0185661
Alternate JournalPLoS One
PubMed ID29415030
PubMed Central IDPMC5802430
Grant ListN01-HC65237 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC65235 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65236 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65235 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65234 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC65233 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65233 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65237 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC65234 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
P2C HD050924 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
MS#: 
0049
Manuscript Lead/Corresponding Author Affiliation: 
Field Center: Bronx (Einstein College of Medicine)
ECI: 
Yes
Manuscript Status: 
Published