Religion and Mortality in the US and Canada - Research Paper Example

Religion and mortality in U.S. and Canada inserts his inserts his grade inserts Outline Page no:Introduction……………………………………………………………………...3 Religious attendance and mortality ……………………………………………..4 The relationship between religion and mortality ………………………………..5 Religion and mortality in the past decades………………………………………5 Gender, age and population groups in religion and mortality……………………6 Methods of data collection ………………………………………………………8 Analysis of data………………………………………………………………….8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….9 References……………………………………………………………………….11 Appendices………………………………………………………………………13 Abstract The paper is a comparative study on religious involvement in mortality in U.S. and Canada. It unveils the role of religion in reducing mortality and disease. It also evaluates how religion affects the physical and mental health of a person and on the basis of religious attendance, religious affiliation and life expectancy. The paper, with the help of previous literature, and statistical evidences prove that religion has dominant influence in mortality. The study also entails the role of the different religions and how US relates to Canada when it comes to religion versus mortality? It evaluates the difference/similarities in the relation between religion and mortality in Canada when compared to the US. Is Canada more religious than US? The proposed study is supported with enough material evidence and data. Introduction Religious involvement and mortality is often considered as a topic that requires an extensive research and a grave discussion. Many researchers over time have conducted various studies aimed to explore the relation between religion and mortality. However, arguments are still going on concerning the role of religion in reducing mortality. Some of the studies argue that the religious attendance has significant role in regulating mortality rate. They also claim that the various references in religious texts related to hygiene and health also exert remarkable influence among the religious people, and as such they are not exposed to disease and death. Attempting a comparative study on religion and mortality in America and Canada, one has to take into account various aspects such as the religious attendance, life expectancy, religious affiliation and the difference in the mortality rate in the present and past decades. While analyzing some of the previous literature in this regard, it is evident that the religion had dominant influence in the social cultural life of people. A primary reading of the topic itself unveils the differences in the life expectancy between the various religions in America and Canada which entails the scope of a research. One of the studies has stated that in the U.S. the Jews and Mainline Protestants have longer life expectancies, even when controlling for background characteristics such as gender and race. (Sullivan Sep.2008). At the same time there are differences in life expectancy at birth between men and women in U.S. and Canada. Likewise, one can identify the differences in mortality due to religious involvement in these countries. The study will be helpful in evaluating the role of religion in reducing mortality and how does the religious attendance affect the health and hygiene of an individual. Therefore, the study aims to explore disparities in religious involvement in mortality by proposing the thesis that Canada has the lower rate of religious mortality and higher life expectancy when comparing with the higher rate of religious mortality and lower life expectancy of the U.S. Religious attendance and mortality Religious attendance generally refers to the number of people attending the church or other places of worship in a weekly or daily manner. They are the people belonging to the ‘religious’ category pursuing the religious practices and principles. Hummer et al have identified the differences in religious mortality between the religious and irreligious. According to them, “people who never attend exhibit 1.87 times the risk of death in the follow up period compared with people who attend more than once a week” (Hummer et al.). They also point out the healthy aspect of the religious attendance. In their opinion religious attendance promotes a healthy life style which may reduce death rate with disease. Healthy selectivity is responsible for a portion of the religious attendance effect: people who do not attend church or religious services are also more likely to be unhealthy and, consequently to die (Hummer et al.). Various studies conducted recently have evaluated the interconnection between religion and health. Only in recent years, however, have the medical sociology and public health communities taken a serious interest in this association in a more general sense, often for example, linking religion to various measures of physical and mental health (Ellison & Levin). Dwyer and Clarke confirm this fact by referring that people belonging to behaviorally strict and wealthy denominations have lower mortality risks than who belong to other or no religious groups. In other words, these studies assert that religious persons are strict in maintaining their mental as well as physical health which may lessen the mortality. The relationship between religion and mortality According to Jarvis et.al religion may reduce the risk of sickness or death by various factors. They are: (1) Prescribing behaviour which prevents illness or death or which assists in treatment of sickness; or (2) Proscribing behaviour which is harmful to life or which would hinder treatment. Further, religion can have beneficial effects when it: (3) places an individual within a support group which can, depending on the strength of the group, assist in times of need; and (4) Cultivates attitudes which may give the individual a helpful perspective with which to face stressful life situations (Jarvis et.al). Jarvis and his companions study throws light to positive changes that religions may bring to one’s life by prescribing a set of rules that should be followed in life. Whatever may be the changes the religion brings in one’s life, the total number of attendants has marked a fall in the past few years. Religion and mortality in the past decades Americans were once the followers of strict religious principles. More than 90% of American adults are affiliated with a formal religious tradition (Kosmin & Lachman, 1993). One of the previous studies states that nearly 96% of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit, 42% attend a religious worship service weekly or almost weekly, 67% are members of a local religious body, and 60% feel that religion is "very important" in their lives (Gallup, 1995). But a recent study shows a significant decrease in their religious affiliation which has affected the religious mortality. A large number of the Americans are either become irreligious or adopted other religions. In addition to this, there were many premature deaths occurred in America and Canada and some of the studies clearly state it. A study conducted by Tom Plewes has calculated the measure of years of life lost before age 50 and illustrates the amount of premature deaths. Through the measure, Plewes shows how many additional years would be lived before age 50 if deaths from a cause were eliminated. Overall, the measure shows that the U.S. loses a larger number of years of life to all disease and injury causes than do any other comparison countries for which comparable data are available (Plewes). This data supports the argument that the U.S. has the lowest life expectancy among the 17 peer countries Plewes selected for the study. Statistical evidences on the rates of the religious attendance in Canada show a gradual decrease (See appendix). It is also identified that there had a significant rate of dropping in attendance in some religious groups. The data selected for the proposed study show that there is a gradual decrease in the religious attendance of the Canadians. But the religious affiliation of the immigrants in Canada has reported a growth rate during this time. However, it has not marked a rapid decrease as in the case of U.S. The percentage of decrease in the religious attendance in modern times can be attributed on the growth of science and technology. In twentieth century, the influence of religion on dying and death declined considerably, in part because scientific developments increasingly saved lives (Northcott & Wilson, 2008, p. 72).The increasing importance of the health care also affected the popularity of the religious conventions regarding dying and death. Gender, age and population groups in religion and mortality Gender, age and population groups exert dominant role in religious involvement and mortality. The religious affiliations and religious attendance vary in accordance with gender age and population groups. The different religions in a nation also express dissimilarities in religious affiliations and life expectancy (see appendix). What may seem to be a religious influence often reflects the fact that the members of any denomination are typically concentrated in a very few places in the social structure as defined by occupation, education, or any other of the usual indices (Sullivan, 2008). Thus, it makes clear that the religious afflictions may vary depending on various factors. Mortality differentials by religion have been observed recently in other parts of the world and the U.S. even when controlling for biological, behavioral, and socioeconomic differences (Lee and Newberg 2005; Koenig et al., 2001). It is certain that there exist various differences. Thus it can be assumed that religious effects on health and mortality may vary by age and gender (Bryant & Rakowiski 1992; House et.al 1982).. Methods of data collection The data collected for the empirical study are from books, journals, and online resources. The proposed study is conducted using secondary data and the researcher has adopted various survey reports, diagrams and empirical studies taken from previous literature. These reports and diagrams helps to analyze the data of the religious attendance, religious affiliations, religious compositions during the past few years, and so on, which are essential for the proposed study. Some of the charts or diagrams show religious affiliations based on age group, gender and some others with different types of religions. The researcher has also used some of the diagrams to attempt a comparative study on various aspects in relation with religion and mortality both in America and Canada. Analysis of data While analyzing the data concerning the religion and mortality in U.S. and Canada one can identify certain differences and similarities. A comparative study among the males before 50 in 17 peer countries clearly indicate the years of life lost for them (see appendix 1). The graph shows that the highest number of people who lost their life before 50 is in America where Canada assumes the third position. When America shows the shortage of nearly one year in one’ life, Canada has lost below 0.9 years. But regarding the females, Canada is just behind the United States with less than 0.6 where U.S. REACHES TO 0.8 on the scale (See appendix 2). Regarding life expectancy by religious affiliation (See appendix 3), the study conducted among the different religions shows a large scale of difference. The study was conducted among the age group of 55 where the Jews marked the highest range of life expectancy and the Black Protestants, the lowest. When the Jews had approximately 27 additional years of life expectancy, the Black Protestants had only 21. The Catholics and the Mainline Protestants showed the same life expectancy of approximately 25 years. The Evangelical Protestant and the no religious group had the same life expectancy of 23 years. The religious affiliation range in the U.S. (See appendix – 4) and Canada are different as seen in the following diagrams. The study of the US religious affiliation shows that in between the years 1913 and 2013, the Protestants and the Catholics have their religious affiliations increased. The Jews also have marked a growth rate though a least one. But in the case of the no religious group it is vice versa. When the non religious group marked 58.8% religious affiliation in 1913, it decreased in to 23.1% in 2013. But the Canadian religious affiliation is somewhat different from the U.S. because one cannot find much variation. In 2001census, the Catholic religious affiliation was approximately 45% (See appendix – 5). But later, in 2011, it lowered to below 40% marking only 5% difference. At the same time, the Protestant affiliation rate had marked more than 12% difference. The recent estimates of attendance show that in the U.S., the result of the time use survey shows 23.9% attendance. But in the conventional survey, it reaches up to 39.3%. In the case of Canada, it has 10.2% in the time use survey and 24.6% in the conventional survey. The position of America is just below Ireland which has the highest position in the religious attendance (see appendix 6). This clearly supports the argument that religious affiliation has been decreasing during the past decades. Analysis of the life expectancy in nine countries including Canada and U.S. places U.S. with the lowest life expectancy of 78.2 and Canada with 80.7 (see appendix 7). When U.S. assumes the final position, Canada is in the third position, behind Japan and Sweden. The religious affiliations of Canada, as per one of the studies is; Roman Catholic 46.5%; Protestant 41%; Eastern Orthodox 1.5%; Jewish 1.2%; Muslim 0.4%; Hindu 0.3%; Sikh 0.3%; Nonreligious 7.4%; others 1.4% (Slideshare 2010). Conclusion The study was intended to explore the relation between religion and mortality during the past decades, especially in U.S and Canada. The researcher had analyzed various data and had reached in the following conclusions. First of all, after the study, it is evident that there is close relation between religion and mortality, and religion has decisive role in reducing disease and mortality. Those who have the religious attendance have been identified as following health, hygiene and good behaviors. For the study, the researcher has also considered various aspects such as the religious attendance, life expectancy, religious affiliation and the difference in the mortality rate in the present and past decades. Regarding life expectancy, the study could recognize differences in between religions and nations. It has also been identified for the study that the mortality rates vary depending on the religious involvement. Some of the previous literature used in the study provided the evidence that there is higher risk of death and disease among those who do not attend the church or other places of worship. But it changes if one attends at least in week. The analysis of the history of religion and mortality in the past decades has unveiled the dominant role of religion in one’s life. But the advent of modern science has reduced its significance and various data selected for this study undoubtedly prove it. That is, the researcher could identify the differences in the religious involvement and mortality in the past and the present. These differences are the outcome of the influence of gender, age and population groups. Regarding religious affiliations, it is clear that different religions in a nation also express dissimilarities in religious affiliations and life expectancy. After the analysis of data and various material gathered for this study, now it is clear that Canada has the lower rate of religious mortality and higher life expectancy when comparing with the higher rate of religious mortality and lower life expectancy of the U.S. References Byrant, S. and W. Rakowski. (1992). Predictors of Mortality among Elderly African Americans . Research in aging. 14:50-67. Dwyer, J.W., L.L. Clarke, & M.K. Miller.(1990). The effect of religious Concentration and Affiliation on count cancer mortality rates. Journal Health and Mortality Behavior 32:80-99 Ellison, C.G., & J.S. Levin (1998). The Religion-Health connection : Evidence theory and Future Directions. Health education and behavior 20:700-20 Gallup, G. (1995). The Gallup poll: Public opinion 1995. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources. Hummer, R.A., R.G. Rogers, C.B. Nam, and C.G. Ellison. (1999). Religious involvement and US adult mortality. Demography 36(2):273-285. Jarvis, K. G., C Herbert & Northcott. (1995). Religion and differences in Morbidity and mortality. Department of Sociology, the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Koenig, H.G., M.E. McCullough, and D.B. Larson. (2001). Handbook of religion and health. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press. Kosmin, B. A., & Lachman, S. P. (1993). One nation under God. New York: Harmony. Lee, B.Y.and A.B. Newberg. (2005). Religion and health: A review and critical analysis. Zygon 40(2):443-468. Northcott, H.C., Wilson, D.M. (2008). Dying and Death in Canada. University of Toronto Press. Book. Plewes, T. (n.d.). Real Numbers: Shorter lives, Poorer Health. April 29 From Issue in science and technology. Sullivan, A.R. (2008). Mortality Differentials by Religion in the U.S. Slideshare. (2010). Canada Compared to the U.S.A. LinkedIn Corporation. Retrieved 28 April 2015 from http://www.slideshare.net/emerchant15/canada-compared-to-the-usa Appendices Appendix – 1 Plewes, T. (n.d.). Real Numbers: Shorter lives, Poorer Health. April 29 From Issue in science and technology. Appendix - 2 Plewes, T. (n.d.). Real Numbers: Shorter lives, Poorer Health. April 29 From Issue in science and technology. Appendix – 3 Epiphenom. (Feb. 2011). Why non-religious Americans die younger. Patheos. Retrieved April, 23, 2015, from http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/3.bp.blogspot.com/-DGGelddTuHU/TWQl16VEVXI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Z9tRQ2FL9kE/s1600/Sullivan_2010_Life_expectancy.PNG Appendix – 4 U.S. Religious affiliation, 1913-2013 (n.d.). A hundred years ago.com. Retrieved April, 23, 2015, from http://ahundredyearsago.com/2013/06/01/percentage-of-us-population-affiliated-with-various-religions-1913-and-2013/ Appendix – 5 Rand, D. (2013). Of Censuses and Secularism. Wordpress.com. April, 23, 2015, from http://aft.atheisme.ca/images/blog/blog_30_percent_en.png Appendix – 6 Wordpress.com. (n.d). Why Do People Lie About Going to Church? Wordpress.com.28 April 2015 from http://clarissasblog.com/2011/05/25/why-do-people-lie-about-going-to-church/ Appendix - 7 Davald (2012).Government spending: health care. The Observer. Retrieved 28 April 2015 from http://snohomishobserver.com/2012/09/05/government-spending-health-care/. Read More