Faith Moves Mountains-Mountains Move Faith: Two Opposite Epidemiological Forces in Research on Religion and Health

N C Hvidt, D Hvidtjørn, K Christensen, J B Nielsen, J Søndergaard

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avisTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

43 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Research suggests opposite epidemiological forces in religion and health: (1). Faith seems to move mountains in the sense that religion is associated with positive health outcomes. (2). Mountains of bad health seem to move faith. We reflected on these forces in a population of 3000 young Danish twins in which all religiosity measures were associated with severe disease. We believe the reason for this novel finding is that the sample presents as a particularly secular population-based study and that the second epidemiological force has gained the upper hand in this sample. We suggest that all cross-sectional research on religion and health should be interpreted in light of such opposite epidemiological forces potentially diluting each other.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftJournal of Religion and Health
Vol/bind56
Nummer1
Sider (fra-til)294-304
Antal sider11
ISSN0022-4197
DOI
StatusUdgivet - feb. 2017
Udgivet eksterntJa

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