Religious attendance and loneliness in later life.

The Gerontologist
Sunshine RoteChristopher G Ellison

Abstract

Studies show that loneliness is a major risk factor for health issues in later life. Although research suggests that religious involvement can protect against loneliness, explanations for this general pattern are underdeveloped and undertested. In this paper, we propose and test a theoretical model, which suggests that social integration and social support are key mechanisms that link religious attendance and loneliness. To formally test our theoretical model, we use data from the National Social Life Health and Aging Project (2005/2006), a large national probability sample of older adults aged 57-85 years. We find that religious attendance is associated with higher levels of social integration and social support and that social integration and social support are associated with lower levels of loneliness. A series of mediation tests confirm our theoretical model. Taken together, our results suggest that involvement in religious institutions may protect against loneliness in later life by integrating older adults into larger and more supportive social networks. Future research should test whether these processes are valid across theoretically relevant subgroups.

References

Dec 1, 1991·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·T P Johnson
Sep 1, 1980·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·D RussellC E Cutrona
Dec 24, 1997·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·N Krause
Dec 24, 1997·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·E L Idler, S V Kasl
Dec 24, 1997·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·E L Idler, S V Kasl
May 29, 1998·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·W J StrawbridgeG A Kaplan
Nov 14, 1998·Health Education & Behavior : the Official Publication of the Society for Public Health Education·C G Ellison, J S Levin
Feb 6, 1999·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·P C Burns
Jan 8, 2000·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·V King, G H Elder
Sep 6, 2000·Social Science & Medicine·L F BerkmanT E Seeman
Apr 17, 2001·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·W J StrawbridgeG A Kaplan
Oct 30, 2001·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·F R Lang
Oct 30, 2001·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·J A Kelley-Moore, K F Ferraro
May 22, 2002·Psychosomatic Medicine·John T CacioppoGary G Berntson
Oct 18, 2002·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·B S FeesL W Poon
Nov 12, 2002·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Neal Krause
May 6, 2003·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Neal Krause
Nov 14, 2003·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Maureen Reindl BenjaminsLinda K George
Jan 27, 2004·Wiener klinische Wochenschrift·Stephan MadersbacherGerald Haidinger
Sep 1, 2004·Canadian Journal on Aging = La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement·Jenny de Jong Gierveld, Betty Havens
Apr 29, 2008·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Yanni Hao
May 23, 2008·Social Science Research·Kelly MusickChristine R Schwartz
May 28, 2008·Research on Aging·Mary Elizabeth HughesJohn T Cacioppo
Nov 20, 2008·American Sociological Review·Benjamin CornwellL Philip Schumm
Dec 19, 2008·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Louise C HawkleyJohn T Cacioppo
Feb 14, 2009·The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion·Ellen L IdlerRichard J Contrada
May 6, 2009·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·Erin York Cornwell, Linda J Waite
Jun 9, 2009·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Benjamin CornwellJessica Graber
Jun 11, 2009·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Erin York Cornwell, Linda J Waite
Oct 9, 2009·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Ofer Manor, Derek Y C Chan
Oct 27, 2009·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Richard Suzman
Jul 21, 2012·Asian Journal of Psychiatry·Harold G KoenigDoaa Ahmed Khalifa

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 7, 2013·The Gerontologist·Yumiko KamiyaVirpi Timonen
Mar 15, 2016·Social Science Research·Andrew Fenelon, Sabrina Danielsen
Jan 1, 2015·Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging·XinQi Dong, Manrui Zhang
Jun 30, 2015·Journal of Religion and Health·Anita E PascoeRobert J Johnson
Jul 1, 2016·European Journal of Ageing·Agnieszka SowaHenrike Gelenkamp
Nov 3, 2016·Aging & Mental Health·Lena DahlbergCarin Lennartsson
Apr 16, 2014·Journal of Aging and Health·Terrence D HillAmy M Burdette
Mar 10, 2016·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·Terrence D HillJacqueline L Angel
Feb 5, 2015·Research on Aging·Heather R Fuller-Iglesias, Samjhana Rajbhandari
Jan 27, 2017·The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease·JaeHoon JungDo Hoon Kim
Jun 30, 2018·Journal of Holistic Nursing : Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association·Robin L PageTerrence D Hill
Dec 28, 2018·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Terrence D HillSunshine M Rote
May 17, 2017·Canadian Journal on Aging = La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement·Kyla Brown, Alex Bierman
Mar 29, 2019·Journal of Religion and Health·Yael Itzhaki, Ram A Cnaan
Nov 9, 2019·Journal of Cross-cultural Gerontology·Terrence D HillAmy M Burdette
Jan 3, 2018·Journal of Health Psychology·Roger C McIntoshNeal Krause
Jan 1, 2016·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Vegard SkirbekkMarcin Stonawski
Oct 5, 2017·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Dawn C CarrYochai Z Shavit
Jul 27, 2017·Journal of Religion and Health·Lydia K Manning, Andrew Miles
Jun 15, 2018·Journal of Drug Issues·Amy M BurdetteJason A Ford
May 8, 2020·BMC Public Health·Yucheng ChenZengwen Wang
Mar 28, 2018·Research on Aging·Alex BiermanScott Schieman
Mar 21, 2019·Research in Nursing & Health·Fayron EppsKenneth Hepburn
Jan 4, 2021·Journal of Religion and Health·Ephraim ShapiroAvi Kay
Jan 1, 2020·Working with Older People : Community Care Policy and Practice·Kristina M ConroySonny S Patel
Aug 7, 2021·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·Aradhna KaushalMarcus Richards

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.