title: Prayer to the Saints or the Virgin And Health Among Older Mexican Americans.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model that assesses whether praying to the saints or the Virgin is associated with the health of older Mexican Americans. A survey was conducted of 1,005 older Mexican Americans (Mean age = 73.9 years; SD = 6.6 years). Data from 795 of the Catholic respondents are presented in this study. The findings support the following relationships that are embedded in the conceptual model: (1) older Mexican Americans who attend church more often are more likely to believe in the efficacy of prayer to the saints or the Virgin; (2) stronger beliefs in the efficacy of intercessory prayer are associated with more frequent prayer to the saints or the Virgin; (3) frequent prayer is to the saints or the Virgin is associated with greater God-mediated control beliefs; (4) stronger God-mediated control beliefs are associated with greater optimism; and (5) greater optimism is associated with better self-rated health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Behavior, School of Public Health, the University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029.  nkrause@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastida