title: Religion and health connection: a study of African American, Protestant Christians.
abstract: The roles religious and health promoting behaviors may play in bolstering positive physical and emotional health were assessed using structured, face-to-face interviews conducted using a non-random community sample of 105 adult African American, Protestant Christians in a small city in a rural state in the Midwest. The interview measured health promotion, health locus of control beliefs, emotional health, physical health, religious practices, and demographics. Health promotion, church attendance, or both were related to decreased prevalence of loneliness, depression, trouble sleeping, and family problems. More than 80% of those interviewed ascribed healing power to God and prayer. There was an apparent lack of connection between respondents' attitudes about faith and healing and their actual experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Center for Social and Behavioral Research, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0402, USA. Mel.Gonnerman@uni.edu
authors.forename: Melvin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gonnerman
authors.forename: Gene M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yehieli
authors.forename: Bruce K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Meisinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D033303:Protestantism; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult