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Morgan J, Halstead I, Northstone K, Major-Smith D. The associations between religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours and study participation in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 7:186. [PMID: 38989006 PMCID: PMC11234084 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17975.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Longitudinal studies are key to understanding risk factors for health, well-being, and disease, yet associations may be biased if study invitation and participation are non-random. Religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) are increasingly recognised as having potentially important relationships with health. However, it is unclear whether RSBB is associated with study participation. We examine whether RSBB is associated with participation in the longitudinal birth cohort ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Methods Three RSBB factors were used: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other), and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). Participation was measured in three ways: i) total number of questionnaires/clinics completed (linear and ordinal models); ii) completion of the most recent questionnaire (logistic model); and iii) length of participation (survival model). Analyses were repeated for the ALSPAC mothers, their partners, and the study children, and were adjusted for relevant socio-demographic confounders. Results Religious attendance was positively associated with participation in all adjusted models in all three cohorts. For example, study mothers who attended a place of worship at least once a month on average completed two more questionnaires (out of a possible 50), had 50% greater odds of having completed the most recent questionnaire, and had 25% reduced risk of drop-out, relative to those who did not attend. In the adjusted analyses, religious belief and attendance were not associated with participation. However, the majority of unadjusted models showed associations between RSBB and participation. Conclusion After adjusting for confounders, religious attendance - not religious belief or affiliation - was associated with participation in ALSPAC. These results indicate that use of RSBB variables (and religious attendance in particular) may result in selection bias and spurious associations; these potential biases should be explored and discussed in future studies using these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy Morgan
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Isaac Halstead
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Daniel Major-Smith
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Major-Smith D, Morgan J, Halstead I, Tohidinik HR, Goulding N, Iles-Caven Y, Golding J, Northstone K. Demographic and socioeconomic predictors of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England: Results from the offspring generation. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 7:290. [PMID: 38826488 PMCID: PMC11140305 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18517.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background We explored associations between possible demographic and socioeconomic causes of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) in the offspring generation of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Methods We examined approximately 4,450 offspring aged 28 years with RSBB data from a prospective birth cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England. Three RSBB outcome measures were assessed: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other) and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). We explored age- and sex-adjusted associations between 35 demographic and socioeconomic exposures and each of the three RSBB outcomes using multinomial regression. Exposure-sex interactions were also examined. Results Some sociodemographic factors were associated with RSBB in this cohort; for instance, being female and from an ethnicity other than White were associated with increased religiosity across all domains. For many other exposures, however, associations were frequently null or inconsistent, often depending on the specific exposure and outcome combination. As an example, higher educational attainment was associated with higher rates of religious attendance, but not with religious belief or affiliation; in contrast, higher income was associated with lower levels of religiosity. No consistent interactions between sex and the exposures on RSBB were found. Effect sizes were also rather weak, with most pseudo- R 2 values below 0.5% and a maximum of 1.2%. Conclusions The results highlight that several demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with RSBB in this cohort. However, the number of these associations, and their magnitude, is smaller than comparable results from the parental generation of these offspring, suggesting that patterns of sociodemographic factors associated with RSBB differ between these generations. In addition to describing these associations, this paper will help inform future studies using these data, particularly regarding the choice of potential sociodemographic confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Major-Smith
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jimmy Morgan
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Isaac Halstead
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Hamid Reza Tohidinik
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Neil Goulding
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
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Major-Smith D, Halstead I, Morgan J, Tohidinik HR, Iles-Caven Y, Golding J, Northstone K. Individual-level changes in religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviors over three decades in the parental generation of the ALSPAC cohort, UK. RELIGION, BRAIN & BEHAVIOR 2023; 13:379-398. [PMID: 39040912 PMCID: PMC7616281 DOI: 10.1080/2153599x.2022.2156584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Longitudinal data on religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviors (RSBB) are essential for understanding both how religion shapes our lives and the factors determining religiosity. Despite this importance, there are few longitudinal studies with detailed and repeated RSBB data. Using data spanning nearly 30 years from the parental generation of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) based in the Southwest of England, we describe individual-level changes in various aspects of self-reported RSBB (religious belief, affiliation, and attendance, among others) measured on four occasions (pregnancy, plus 5, 9, and 28 years post-partum; approx. 3600 mothers and 1200 partners have data at all four time-points). Although RSBBs were generally consistent over time, a shift towards non-religiosity was observed; exceptions included Roman Catholic affiliation, which was remarkably stable over three decades, and religious attendance, which increased from pregnancy to 5 years, before declining at 28 years. Most changes in RSBB were minor, e.g., between "yes" and "not sure" regarding religious belief, rather than between "yes" and "no." We also provide a simple illustrative example of how these longitudinal data can be analyzed. In addition to describing these longitudinal patterns, this paper will help inform future research using ALSPAC's longitudinal RSBB data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Major-Smith
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Isaac Halstead
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jimmy Morgan
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Hamid Reza Tohidinik
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Stroope S, Kent BV, Schachter AB, Kanaya AM, Shields AE. Why Is Religious Attendance Linked to More Anxiety in U.S. South Asians? The Mediating Role of Congregational Neglect. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01764-6. [PMID: 37721667 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01764-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previous research has identified a positive association between religious attendance and anxiety in U.S. South Asians. The current study assesses the mediating role of congregational neglect as a potential mechanism explaining this association. DESIGN Analyses relied on data from the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health (SSSH) questionnaire in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study (n = 936), the largest community-based study of health among U.S. South Asians. Analyses were conducted using path analysis and adjusted for a variety of background characteristics. RESULTS Results confirmed that higher levels of religious service attendance were associated with higher levels of anxiety. Congregational neglect was a significant mediator in this relationship, explaining 27% of the association between religious attendance and anxiety. Congregational neglect also had the second largest standardized coefficient in the model. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that congregational neglect plays an important intervening role in the connection between religious service attendance and anxiety among U.S. South Asians. The findings move beyond description, flagging a relevant social process which underlies the relationship. By recognizing the potential adverse effects of religious attendance on anxiety in this population, it may be possible to develop interventions aimed at enhancing social inclusion in South Asian religious communities. In addition to practical implications, this study highlights the need for further research on how communal religious participation shapes mental health in ethnic and racial minority populations in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Blake Victor Kent
- Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Boston, MA, USA
- Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Anna Boonin Schachter
- Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alka M Kanaya
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Major-Smith D, Morgan J, Halstead I, Tohidinik HR, Iles-Caven Y, Golding J, Northstone K. Demographic and socioeconomic predictors of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England: Results from the parental generation. Wellcome Open Res 2023; 7:159. [PMID: 37565043 PMCID: PMC10410183 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17897.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: We explored associations between possible demographic and socioeconomic causes of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) in the parental generation of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Methods : We used a prospective birth cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England with 14,157 enrolled mothers and 14,154 associated partners. Three RSBB outcome measures collected during pregnancy were examined: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other) and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). Multiple demographic and socioeconomic exposures were assessed (23 in mothers and 22 in partners). We explored age-adjusted associations between each exposure and outcome using multinomial regression, in addition to exposure-age interactions. Results: Many demographic and socioeconomic factors were associated with RSBB, including age, ethnicity, marital status, education, income and deprivation. Overall, higher socioeconomic position was associated with increased levels of RSBB, particularly regarding religious attendance. For instance, compared to mothers with the lowest level of educational attainment, a degree-level education was associated with a six-fold increase in the relative risk ratio of religious attendance at least once a week, relative to not attending at all (RRR=5.90; 95% CI=[4.44; 7.86]). The magnitude of these associations often varied by outcome, e.g., income was associated with religious attendance, but only weakly with religious affiliation. Although results were demographically and socially patterned, overall effect sizes were relatively small, with a largest pseudo- R 2 value of 2.4%. Patterns of association were similar for mothers and partners. Conclusion: The observed positive association between socioeconomic position and RSBB is contrary to much previous theoretical and empirical work. Potential reasons for these differences are discussed, including cross-cultural variation in religiosity and state support, and differences between RSBB measures. This descriptive paper can also help inform future studies using these data regarding the consideration of appropriate confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Major-Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jimmy Morgan
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Isaac Halstead
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Hamid Reza Tohidinik
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
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Major-Smith D, Morgan J, Halstead I, Tohidinik HR, Iles-Caven Y, Golding J, Northstone K. Demographic and socioeconomic predictors of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England: Results from the parental generation. Wellcome Open Res 2023; 7:159. [PMID: 37565043 PMCID: PMC10410183 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17897.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: We explored associations between possible demographic and socioeconomic causes of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) in the parental generation of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Methods : We used a prospective birth cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England with 14,157 enrolled mothers and 14,154 associated partners. Three RSBB outcome measures collected during pregnancy were examined: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other) and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). Multiple demographic and socioeconomic exposures were assessed (23 in mothers and 22 in partners). We explored age-adjusted associations between each exposure and outcome using multinomial regression, in addition to exposure-age interactions. Results: Many demographic and socioeconomic factors were associated with RSBB, including age, ethnicity, marital status, education, income and deprivation. Overall, higher socioeconomic position was associated with increased levels of RSBB, particularly regarding religious attendance. For instance, compared to mothers with the lowest level of educational attainment, a degree-level education was associated with a six-fold increase in the relative risk ratio of religious attendance at least once a week, relative to not attending at all (RRR=5.90; 95% CI=[4.44; 7.86]). The magnitude of these associations often varied by outcome, e.g., income was associated with religious attendance, but only weakly with religious affiliation. Although results were demographically and socially patterned, overall effect sizes were relatively small, with a largest pseudo- R 2 value of 2.4%. Patterns of association were similar for mothers and partners. Conclusion: The observed positive association between socioeconomic position and RSBB is contrary to much previous theoretical and empirical work. Potential reasons for these differences are discussed, including cross-cultural variation in religiosity and state support, and differences between RSBB measures. This descriptive paper can also help inform future studies using these data regarding the consideration of appropriate confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Major-Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jimmy Morgan
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Isaac Halstead
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Hamid Reza Tohidinik
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
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Kent BV, Upenieks L, Kanaya AM, Warner ET, Cozier YC, Daviglus ML, Eliassen H, Jang DY, Shields AE. Religion/Spirituality and Prevalent Hypertension among Ethnic Cohorts in the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health. Ann Behav Med 2023; 57:649-661. [PMID: 37265144 PMCID: PMC10354840 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaad007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertension is a significant public health issue, particularly for Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, and South Asians who are at greater risk than whites. Religion and spirituality (R/S) have been shown to be protective, but this has been identified primarily in whites with limited R/S measures examined (i.e., religious service attendance). PURPOSE To assess hypertension prevalence (HP) in four racial/ethnic groups while incorporating an array of R/S variables, including individual prayer, group prayer, nontheistic daily spiritual experiences, yoga, gratitude, positive religious coping, and negative religious coping. METHODS Data were drawn from the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health, a consortium of ethnically diverse U.S. cohorts. The sample included 994 Black women, 838 Hispanic/Latino men and women, 879 South Asian men and women, and 3681 white women. Using a cross-sectional design, prevalence ratios for R/S and hypertension were reported for each cohort, in addition to pooled analyses. Given differences in R/S among men and women, all models were stratified by gender. RESULTS Different patterns of associations were found between women and men. Among women: 1) religious attendance was associated with lower HP among Black and white women; 2) gratitude was linked to lower HP among Hispanic/Latino, South Asian, and white women; 3) individual prayer was associated with higher HP among Hispanic/Latino and white women; 4) yoga was associated with higher HP among South Asian women, and 5) negative religious coping was linked to higher HP among Black women. Among men: significant results were only found among Hispanic/Latino men. Religious attendance and individual prayer were associated with higher HP, while group prayer and negative religious coping were associated with lower HP. CONCLUSION Religion/spirituality is a multifaceted construct that manifests differently by race/ethnicity and gender. Medical practitioners should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to this topic when evaluating prevalent hypertension in diverse communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Victor Kent
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Upenieks
- Department of Sociology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Alka M Kanaya
- University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erica T Warner
- Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yvette C Cozier
- Boston University Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martha L Daviglus
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Daniel Y Jang
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra E Shields
- Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Major-Smith D, Morgan J, Halstead I, Tohidinik HR, Goulding N, Iles-Caven Y, Golding J, Northstone K. Demographic and socioeconomic predictors of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England: Results from the offspring generation. Wellcome Open Res 2022. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18517.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We explored associations between possible demographic and socioeconomic causes of religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) in the offspring generation of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Methods: We examined approximately 4,450 offspring aged 28 years with RSBB data from a prospective birth cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England. Three RSBB outcome measures were assessed: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other) and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). We explored age- and sex-adjusted associations between 35 demographic and socioeconomic exposures and each of the three RSBB outcomes using multinomial regression. Exposure-sex interactions were also examined. Results: Some sociodemographic factors were associated with RSBB in this cohort; for instance, being female and from an ethnicity other than White were associated with increased religiosity across all domains. For many other exposures, however, associations were frequently null or inconsistent, often depending on the specific exposure and outcome combination. As an example, higher educational attainment was associated with higher rates of religious attendance, but not with religious belief or affiliation; in contrast, higher income was associated with lower levels of religiosity. No consistent interactions between sex and the exposures on RSBB were found. Effect sizes were also rather weak, with most pseudo-R2 values below 0.5% and a maximum of 1.2%. Conclusions: The results highlight that several demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with RSBB in this cohort. However, the number of these associations, and their magnitude, is smaller than comparable results from the parental generation of these offspring, suggesting that patterns of sociodemographic factors associated with RSBB differ between these generations. In addition to describing these associations, this paper will help inform future studies using these data, particularly regarding the choice of potential sociodemographic confounders.
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Morgan J, Halstead I, Northstone K, Major-Smith D. Religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours and study participation in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England. Wellcome Open Res 2022. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17975.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Longitudinal studies are key to understanding risk factors for health, well-being, and disease, yet associations may be biased if study invitation and participation are non-random. Religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) are increasingly recognised as having potentially important relationships with health. However, it is unclear whether RSBB is associated with study participation. We examine whether RSBB is associated with participation in the longitudinal birth cohort ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Methods Three RSBB factors were used: religious belief (belief in God/a divine power; yes/not sure/no), religious affiliation (Christian/none/other), and religious attendance (frequency of attendance at a place of worship). Participation was measured in three ways: i) total number of questionnaires/clinics completed; ii) completion of the most recent questionnaire (in 2020); and iii) length of participation. Analyses were repeated for the ALSPAC mothers, their partners, and the study children, and were adjusted for relevant socio-demographic confounders. Results Religious attendance was positively associated with participation in all adjusted models in all three cohorts. For example, study mothers who attended a place of worship at least once a month on average completed two more questionnaires (out of a possible 50), had 50% greater odds of having completed the most recent questionnaire, and had 25% reduced risk of drop-out, relative to those who did not attend a place of worship. In the adjusted analyses, religious belief and attendance were not associated with participation. However, the majority of unadjusted models showed associations between RSBB and participation. Conclusion After adjusting for confounders, religious attendance – not religious belief or affiliation – was associated with participation in ALSPAC. These results indicate that use of RSBB variables (and religious attendance in particular) may result in selection bias and spurious associations; these potential biases should be explored and discussed in future studies using these data.
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Schachter AB, Argentieri MA, Seddighzadeh B, Isehunwa OO, Kent BV, Trevvett P, McDuffie M, Mandel L, Pargament KI, Underwood LG, McCray AT, Shields AE. R|S Atlas: Identifying existing cohort study data resources to accelerate epidemiological research on the influence of religion and spirituality on human health. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e043830. [PMID: 34697108 PMCID: PMC8547361 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many studies have documented significant associations between religion and spirituality (R/S) and health, but relatively few prospective analyses exist that can support causal inferences. To date, there has been no systematic analysis of R/S survey items collected in US cohort studies. We conducted a systematic content analysis of all surveys ever fielded in 20 diverse US cohort studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify all R/S-related items collected from each cohort's baseline survey through 2014. DESIGN An R|S Ontology was developed from our systematic content analysis to categorise all R/S survey items identified into key conceptual categories. A systematic literature review was completed for each R/S item to identify any cohort publications involving these items through 2018. RESULTS Our content analysis identified 319 R/S survey items, reflecting 213 unique R/S constructs and 50 R|S Ontology categories. 193 of the 319 extant R/S survey items had been analysed in at least one published paper. Using these data, we created the R|S Atlas (https://atlas.mgh.harvard.edu/), a publicly available, online relational database that allows investigators to identify R/S survey items that have been collected by US cohorts, and to further refine searches by other key data available in cohorts that may be necessary for a given study (eg, race/ethnicity, availability of DNA or geocoded data). CONCLUSIONS R|S Atlas not only allows researchers to identify available sources of R/S data in cohort studies but will also assist in identifying novel research questions that have yet to be explored within the context of US cohort studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Boonin Schachter
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - M Austin Argentieri
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Bobak Seddighzadeh
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Oluwaseyi O Isehunwa
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Blake Victor Kent
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael McDuffie
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura Mandel
- Chesapeake Regional Information Systems for our Patients, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Kenneth I Pargament
- Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | - Lynn G Underwood
- Inamori International Center for Ethics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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"The Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health (SSSH): Psychometric Evaluation and Initial Validation of the SSSH Baseline Spirituality Survey". RELIGIONS 2021; 12. [PMID: 34484812 DOI: 10.3390/rel12030150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes the development and initial psychometric testing of the baseline Spirituality Survey (SS-1) from the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health (SSSH) which contained a mixture of items selected from validated existing scales and new items generated to measure important constructs not captured by existing instruments. The purpose was to establish the validity of new and existing measures in our racially/ethnically diverse sample. Psychometric properties of the SS-1 were evaluated using standard psychometric analyses in 4,634 SSSH participants. Predictive validity of SS-1 scales was assessed in relation to the physical and mental health component scores from the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12). Scales exhibited adequate to strong psychometric properties and demonstrated construct and predictive validity. Overall, the correlational findings provide solid evidence that the SS-1 scales are associated with a wide range of relevant R/S attitudes, mental health, and to a lesser degree physical health.
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Argentieri MA, Seddighzadeh B, Noveroske Philbrick S, Balboni T, Shields A. A Roadmap for conducting psychosocial research in epidemiological studies: perspectives of cohort study principal investigators. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e037235. [PMID: 32723742 PMCID: PMC7389745 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosocial adversity disproportionately affects racial/ethnic and socioeconomic minorities in the USA, and therefore understanding the mechanisms through which psychosocial stress and resilience influence human health can provide meaningful insights into addressing US health disparities. Despite this promise, psychosocial factors are infrequently and unsystematically collected in the US prospective cohort studies. METHODS We sought to understand prospective cohort principal investigators' (PIs') attitudes regarding the importance of psychosocial influences on disease aetiology, in order to identify barriers and opportunities for greater inclusion of these domains in high-quality epidemiological research. One-hour, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 PIs representing 24 US prospective cohort studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), collectively capturing health data on 1.25 of every 100 American adults. A hypothesis-free, grounded theory approach was used to analyse and interpret interview data. RESULTS Most cohort PIs view psychosocial factors as an important research area to further our understanding of disease aetiology and agree that this research will be crucial for future public health innovations. Virtually all PIs emphasised that future psychosocial research will need to elucidate biological and behavioural mechanisms in order to be taken seriously by the epidemiological community more broadly. A lack of pertinent funding mechanisms and a lack of consensus on optimal scales and measures of psychosocial factors were identified as additional barriers to advancing psychosocial research. CONCLUSIONS Our interviews emphasised the need for: (1) high-quality, longitudinal studies that investigate biological mechanisms and pathways through which psychosocial factors influence health, (2) effort among epidemiological cohorts to broaden and harmonise the measures they use across cohorts, to facilitate replication of results and (3) the need for targeted funding opportunities from NIH and other grant-making institutions to study these domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Austin Argentieri
- Harvard/MGH Center for Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Bobak Seddighzadeh
- Harvard/MGH Center for Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Sarah Noveroske Philbrick
- Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
| | - Tracy Balboni
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexandra Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center for Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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