Does a cancer diagnosis influence religiosity? Integrating a life course perspective.
Based on a life course framework we propose that a cancer diagnosis is associated with increased religiosity and that this relationship is contingent upon three social clocks: cohort (1920-1945, 1946-1964, 1964+), age-at-diagnosis, and years-since-diagnosis. Using prospective data from the National Survey of Midlife Development (N=3443), taken in 1994-1995 and 2004-2006, we test these arguments. Results showed that a cancer diagnosis was associated with increased religiosity. Moreover, we found: (a) no evidence that the influence of cancer varied by cohort; (b) strong evidence that people diagnosed with cancer at earlier ages experienced the largest increases in religiosity; and (c) no evidence that changes in religiosity are influenced by years-since-diagnosis. Our study emphasizes how personal reactions to cancer partly reflect macro-level processes, represented by age-at-diagnosis, and shows that the religion-health connection can operate such that health influences religiosity. The study also highlights the sociological and psychological interplay that shapes people's religiosity.
Princeton University, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing and Office of Population Research, 288 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States. Electronic address: mjm11@princeton.edu.
Michael J
MJ
McFarland
Tetyana
T
Pudrovska
Scott
S
Schieman
Christopher G
CG
Ellison
Alex
A
Bierman