Religious service attendance and spiritual well-being are differentially associated with risk of major depression.
BACKGROUND
The complex relationships between religiosity, spirituality and the risk of DSM-IV depression are not well understood.


METHODS
We investigated the independent influence of religious service attendance and two dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious and existential) on the lifetime risk of major depression. Data came from the New England Family Study (NEFS) cohort (n=918, mean age=39 years). Depression according to DSM-IV criteria was ascertained using structured diagnostic interviews. Odds ratios (ORs) for the associations between high, medium and low tertiles of spiritual well-being and for religious service attendance and the lifetime risk of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Religious service attendance was associated with 30% lower odds of depression. In addition, individuals in the top tertile of existential well-being had a 70% lower odds of depression compared to individuals in the bottom tertile. Contrary to our original hypotheses, however, higher levels of religious well-being were associated with 1.5 times higher odds of depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Religious and existential well-being may be differentially associated with likelihood of depression. Given the complex interactions between religiosity and spirituality dimensions in relation to risk of major depression, the reliance on a single domain measure of religiosity or spirituality (e.g. religious service attendance) in research or clinical settings is discouraged.
Department of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA. maselko@temple.edu
J
J
Maselko
S E
SE
Gilman
S
S
Buka
D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012237:Rhode Island / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors