Centre for Policy on Ageing



Religion, religiosity and spirituality in the biopsychosocial model of health and ageing
Author(s)	Adam B Cohen, Harold G Koenig
Journal title	Ageing International, vol 28, no 3, Summer 2003
Pages	pp 215-241
Keywords	Mental health [elderly] ; Health [elderly] ; Ill health ; Spiritual characteristics [elderly] ; Religion ; Correlation.
Annotation	Religiosity or spirituality and the tendency to see these as coping are common in older people. The authors review evidence that these are positively associated with mental and physical health in older people, as well as evidence that members of different religious groups differ in levels of health. Studies on mental health include those that examine well-being and depression, while those on physical health outcomes include mortality, cancer, stroke and physical functioning. The authors discuss the issue of causality and possible mediators of effects of religiosity or spirituality on health outcomes, paying special attention to possible psychological mediators. They discuss possible differences in these associations between members of various cultural and religious groups, and caution that there may be theological problems with the use of religion to promoting health. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-040401201 A
Classmark	D: CC: CH: EX: TR: 49
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.