Stein RE, Colyer CJ, Corcoran KE, Mackay AM. Pathways to Immunity: Patterns of Excess Death Across the United States and Within Closed Religious Communities.
JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2023;
62:2820-2835. [PMID:
37261578 PMCID:
PMC10233516 DOI:
10.1007/s10943-023-01838-z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Public health officials promoted COVID-19 vaccines to limit burdens placed on the U.S. healthcare system and end the pandemic. People in some closed religious communities refused to vaccinate and likely acquired temporary immunity through infection. This paper compares the death rates in Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and conservative Mennonite groups to a rate estimated for the U.S. population. Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population was immunized against COVID-19, while few in the Amish/Mennonite community were. We find divergent patterns. Once vaccines became available, excess deaths declined in the general population and remained elevated among Amish and Mennonites. Vaccination campaigns must consider and value the cultural beliefs of closed religious communities to be effective.
Collapse