title: Religion is good, belief is better: religion, religiosity, and substance use among young Swiss men.
abstract: We examined the influence of religious denomination (RD) and religiosity/spirituality on licit and illicit substance use beyond the potential impact of parental variables. Data from a representative sample of Swiss men (n = 5,387) approximately 20 years old were collected between August 2010 and November 2011. We asked single item questions about RD and religious self-description (RSD) (including aspects of spirituality). Alcohol use, smoking, and illicit drug use was measured as outcome variables. Logistic regressions (adjusting for parenting and socioeconomic background) revealed that religiosity/spirituality was inversely associated with substance use and that it was more strongly associated than denomination. RD, particularly having no denomination, was independently associated with the use of most substances. The study's limitations, and the implications for future work are noted.
authors.affiliation: 1Alcohol Treatment Centre, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV , Lausanne , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gmel
authors.forename: Meichun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohler-Kuo
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dermota
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaume
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bertholet
authors.forename: Jean-Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Daeppen
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Studer
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs