A comparison of religious orientation and health between Whites and Hispanics.
The study of religious orientation thus far has neglected the influence of race/ethnicity as well as all four religious orientations (intrinsic, extrinsic, pro-religious and nonreligious) in explaining differences in both physical and psychological health. A representative sample of 250 Hispanics and 236 non-Hispanic Whites in Utah was drawn and analysed for differences in health (self-rated health, life satisfaction, exercise) according to race/ethnicity, religious orientation and religious attendance. Responses to the Religious Orientation Scale differed significantly by race/ethnicity, indicating that future studies of religious orientation should take cultural context into account. For both Whites and Hispanics, pro-religious individuals reported the highest life satisfaction scores, which highlight the utility of employing the fourfold religious orientation typology.
Department of Health Science, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. Ray_Merrill@byu.edu
Ray M
RM
Merrill
Patrick
P
Steffen
Bradley D
BD
Hunter
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014589:Utah; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult