WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE FOR
WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN EXCITING
AND INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I'M JOAN ROMAINE, THE
FOUNDER AND CHAIR OF THE
RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY AND
HEALTH SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
GROUP, WHICH BEGAN HERE
AT THE NIH IN OCTOBER 2020.
TODAYS THE MY GREAT HONOR
AND PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE
OUR GUEST SPEAKER, DR. ELLEN
IDLER FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY
IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
SHE WILL BE SENDING HER TALK,
COMPLEXITIES AND CONTRADICTIONS
IN THINKING ABOUT RELIGION
AS A SOCIAL
DETERMINANT OF HEALTH.
AS BACKGROUND, SHE IS DIRECTOR
OF THE RELIGION AND PUBLIC
HEALTH COLLABORATIVE,
CHAIR OF SOCIOLOGY
IN EMORY COLLEGE, SHE
IS JOINT FACULTY IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY,
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
AND SENIOR FELLOW AT THE
EMORY CENTER FOR ETHICS.
SHE RECEIVED HER PH.D.
FROM YALE, WITH TRAINING TO
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIOLOGY.
SHE HAS ALSO INTERDISCIPLINARY
TRAINING IN SOCIOLOGY,
RELIGION AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
SHE IS KNOWN FOR HER RESEARCH
ON RELIGION AS A SOCIAL
DETERMINANT OF HEALTH, HEALTH
PERCEPTIONS, DISABILITY
AND QUALITY OF
LIFE, PARTICULARLY
IN AGING POPULATIONS.
HER CURRENT RESEARCH
INTERESTS AND FRONTS INCLUDE
THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN
ADULT MORTALITY, AS COMPARED
TO OTHER SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH, RELIGION'S ROLE
IN END OF LIFE DECISIONS,
THE ROLE OF CAPLINS
IN PALLATIVE CARE T IMPACT
OF MARITAL STATUS ON
MORTALITY FOLLOWING SURGERY,
TRENDS IN SUICIDE RATES
AMONG MIDDLE AGE AND OLDER
AMERICANS, A COMPARISON
OF THE PATIENT AND
PHYSICIAN GLOBAL RATINGS OF
THE HEALTH AND PRIMARY CARE,
AND PATTERNS OF RELIGIOUS
PRACTICE IN OLD AGE.
SHE, WITH HER COLLEAGUES, ALSO
PRODUCED AN INTER- DISCIPLINARY
VOLUME ENTITLED RELIGION AS
A SOCIAL DETERMINANT
OF HEALTH, PUBLISHED BY
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS IN
2014, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW
ALREADY, SHE PUBLISHED
TWO ADDITIONAL BOOKS AND
OVER 70 CHAPTERS, RESEARCH
THAT'S SUPPORTED BY US
HERE BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON AGING, INCLUDING THE
FIRST AWARD, THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND THE
TEMPLETON FOUNDATION.
HER WORK IS FREQUENTLY CITED,
SHE IS LISTED AS A HIGHLY CITED
SCHOLAR BY THE WEB OF SCIENCE.
WHILE THERE IS MUCH MORE
I COULD SAY ABOUT HER
ESTEEMED ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS, FOR THE SAKE
OF TIME, I WILL STOP HERE.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER
TO HER, I WANT TO SAY A
FEW HOUSEKEEPING TIPS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK
EVERYONE PLEASE STAY MUTED
WHILE SHE IS GIVING HER
PRESENTATION, AND ALSO KEEP
YOUR VIDEOS OFFER, SO WE
DON'T HAVE DISTRACTIONS.
IF YOU ARE SPEAKING,
CERTAINLY TURN YOUR VIDEOS
ON, AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS AT THE END.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF
YOU PLEASE POST YOUR
QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT, WE
WILL BE MONITORING THEM.
HOPEFULLY, WE WILL GET
TO AS MANY AS WE CAN.
WE ARE RECORDING THIS
TALK, AND WE WILL HAVE IT
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE,
JUST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO
TURN IT OVER TO YOU, DR. IDLER.
PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOAN.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY NICE
INVITATION AND I AM GLAD
TO JOIN YOUR GROUP FOR
THIS MONTHLY MEETING THAT
YOU HAVE FOR THE
INTEREST GROUP.
I'M DELIGHTED TO SHARE RESEARCH
WITH YOU, AND THAT WAS A
VERY LONG LIST OF THINGS.
I FELT TIRED WHEN I LISTENED
TO ALL THE -- SOME OF
THOSE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN
FINISHED FOR QUITE A WHILE,
BUT IT WAS NICE OF YOU
TO MENTION SO MANY THINGS.
LET ME GET STARTED BY HOPEFULLY
PUTTING UP THE RIGHT ONE.
GOOD GRIEF.
THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT ONE.
WE DON'T WANT MY CLASSES
FROM THIS MORNING.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
TOTALLY DIFFERENT TALK.
LET ME SHARE THE FULL SCREEN.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A THUMBS
UP, JOAN, IF YOU ARE
SEEING THE RIGHT SCREEN.
>> YES.
LOOKS GREAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR
INVITING ME AGAIN.
I THOUGHT WHAT I WOULD DO
IN THIS TALK IS, BECAUSE
IT IS BASED ON AN ARTICLE
THAT APPEARED IN THE BRITISH
MEDICAL JOURNAL LAST
SUMMER, THAT WAS MY STRUGGLE
TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I HAVE
COME FROM IN THIS RESEARCH
AND WHERE IT IS GOING.
THIS IS LIKE A JOURNEY ABOUT
THINKING ABOUT RESEARCH
ON RELIGION AND HAPPY,
WHICH I HAVE BEEN DOING
SINCE MY DISSERTATION.
WE CANNOT POSSIBLY
GO BACK THAT FAR.
I WILL SPARE YOU ALL WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT THE SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH WORKING
GROUP FROM THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION WAS A GOOD
STARTING POINT.
I WILL SET UP BACKGROUND
FOR YOU, THEN TAKE YOU
TO THE PART WHERE I WAS
STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND AND
PUT THINGS TOGETHER
IN WAY THAT MADE SENSE.
YOU ARE FAMILIAR
WITH THIS, I'M SURE.
THAT IS THE COVER OF THE
CLOSING THE GAP IN A
GENERATION'S WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION REPORT ON THE
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
IT WAS A BIG EFFORT THAT
WAS LED BY MICHAEL MARMET,
USED FOR ABOUT THREE
YEARS AGO, INVOLVED LEADING
RESEARCHERS FROM
ACROSS THE WORLD.
THEY HAD A LOT OF LOCAL GROUPS
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
IT WAS A MASSIVE EFFORT.
IT REALLY BUILT ON RESEARCH
THAT MAYBE BEGAN WITH
THE WHITE HOUSE STUDIES
IN THE U.K. THAT STARTED
IDENTIFYING SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AS
THE PRIMARY DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH, MUCH MORE SO
THAN MEDICAL CARE, WHICH
IS NOT TO SAY MEDICAL CARE
NOT IMPORTANT, IT IS, BUT
IN PUBLIC HEALTH THESE
DAYS, I WOULD SAY IT IS
THE DOMINANT PARADIGM.
ANY TIME I ASK ANY PUBLIC
HEALTH STUDENTS, THEY SAY
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
THAT'S WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINANTS.
I LOVE THE DEFINITION
THAT'S FROM THE REPORT.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH
PEOPLE ARE BORN, GROW UP,
LIVE, WORK AND AGE, AND
THE SYSTEMS PUT IN PLACE
TO DEAL WITH ILLNESS.
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
SHAPED BY A WIDER SET OF
FORCES: ECONOMICS, SOCIAL
POLICIES AND POLITICS.
IT IS A BROAD DEFINITION.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH
PEOPLE ARE BORN, GROW
UP, LIVE, WORK AND AGE.
I STUDY AGING POPULATIONS,
SO THE LIFE COURSE DIMENSION
IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
IN A REPORT THAT WAS TO COVER
GLOBAL HEALTH, INCLUDING
THE GLOBAL SOUTH, AS
WELL AS THE GLOBAL NORTH,
AND A REPORT THAT IS
246 PAGES LONG, YOU WOULD
THINK THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN
WHICH PEOPLE ARE BORN AND
GROW UP WOULD SOMEHOW
MENTION RELIGION SOMEWHERE.
YET, IT DOESN'T.
I HAVE A COPY OF IT HERE.
I CAME TO EMORY IN 2009,
I HAD BEEN TEACHING AT
RUTGER'S UNIVERSITY, BUT
EMORY HAD AN INITIATIVE ON
RELIGION AND PUBLIC HEALTH,
A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO
COME HERE AND TALK TO A
LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED
IN THE SAME THINGS.
I CAME TO EMORY SHORTLY
AFTER THIS REPORT CAME OUT
AND ORGANIZED A GROUP OF
PEOPLE FOR A SEMINAR THAT
TURNED INTO THE EDITED
VOLUME JOAN MENTIONED.
WE WANTED TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT
IN THE FORM OF AN EDITED
VOLUME THAT RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES ARE AMONG THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES INTO WHICH
PEOPLE ARE-BORN AND LIVE
AND GROW UP AND AGE, SO
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR
INDIVIDUALS ARE IMPORTANT.
ALSO, THE RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTIONS ARE AMONG THOSE
WIDER SET OF FORCES THAT
HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S
LIFE AND HEALTH.
THE BOOK WAS PUBLISHED IN 2014.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO YOU.
THERE IS A POSTER ON
MY DESK BEHIND MEL.
IT IS A GREAT BOOK,
STILL IN PRESS.
I WANTED TO BUILD THE TALK
OUT FROM WHAT I KNEW I
KNEW WHEN I CAME TO EMORY
AND WHAT I LEARNED SINCE
I HAVE BEEN HERE AND HOW MUCH
WIDER MY VIEW HAS BECOME AND
ALSO HOW MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.
LET'S START WITH
WHAT DO WE KNOW.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU
INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC
ARE AWARE OF THE PAPER DONE
BY A SET OF RESEARCHERS AT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, A
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ALL
THE RESEARCH SINCE 2000
THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED
ON THE TOPIC OF
RELIGION AND HEALTH.
IT WAS A LARGE GROUP OF
AUTHORS, BUT THEY HAD A
WIDER GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO
FORMED A PANEL OF EXPERTS
TO RATE THE QUALITY OF THE
STUDIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED
BY THE PRIMARY RESEARCH GROUP.
I WASN'T AN AUTHOR OF
THE STUDY, BUT ONE OF THE
PANEL MEMBERS THAT WAS
WATCHING ALL THE WORK THEY
WERE DOING AND HELPING
THEM TO CURATE THE SET
OF STUDIES, ACCORDING TO
THE CRITERIA THAT WILL BE
ESTABLISHED FOR HIGH
-QUALITY STUDIES.
THIS PAPER, SPIRITUALITY
IN HEALTH AND ILLNESS, LEAD
AUTHORS WERE TYLER AND TRACY.
THERE WERE TWO DELPHI PANELS.
SO WE'LL TAKE THE
HEALTH OUTCOMES FIRST.
THIS IS JUST A TABLE FROM
THE JAMA STUDY PUBLICATION.
IT SHOWS NUMBER OF STUDIES
THAT WERE ATTACHED TO
THESE VARIOUS OUTCOMES,
MORTALITY, PHYSICAL BEHAVIORS,
MENTAL HEALTH AND
QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE WERE MANY STUDIES
IN THESE CATEGORIES.
FOR THE OUTCOME OF ALL CAUSES
MORTALITY, ALL BUT ONE OF
THE STUDIES IDENTIFIED A
STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT
AND PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF
FREQUENT RELIGIOUS ATTEND DANCE
WITH LOWER ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY.
THAT STUDY WAS CONSIDERED
THE STRONGEST BECAUSE THE
STUDIES THAT WERE PART OF
IT HAD THE HIGHEST RATINGS
FOR QUALITY AND ALSO
BECAUSE THE FININGS
WERE SO VERY CONSISTENT.
SOME OF THE OTHER OUTCOMES
ALSO HAD STRONG FINDINGS,
BUT THE AUTHORS IDENTIFIED
THE ALL-CAUSE MORTALITIES
AS THE STRONGEST IN
THE HALE OUTCOMES PANEL.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE
STUDY IN THE REVIEW THAT
WE DID AT EMORY, SO I
COULD SHOW MY OWN STUDY.
THE NUMBERS ARE SMALL TO
SEE, BUT I WOULD HIGHLIGHT
THE FACT WE USED DATA FROM
THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT
STUDY FOR A TEN-YEAR FOLLOWUP
PERIOD FROM 2004 TO 2014.
IT IS A LARGE SAMPLE OF
PEOPLE AGED 50 AND OLDER.
RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE WAS ONE
OF THE MEASURES AVAILABLE
IN THE HRS, AS WELL AS
GETTING MEANING AND COMFORT
FROM RELIGION AND ALSO
A PERSON'S RELIGIOUS
IDENTIFICATION.
THERE WERE SEVERAL VARIABLES,
BUT FREQUENT RELIGIOUS
ATTENDANCE WAS THE PRIMARY
VARIABLE THAT HAD A
HEALTH IMPACT OVER
THE TEN-YEAR PERIOD.
AFTER IT WAS ADJUSTED FOR
THE DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS,
FREQUENT ATTENDANCE AT
RELIGIOUS SERVICES REDUCED
MORTALITY BY 40%, IN
COMPARISON TO THOSE WHO NEVER
ATTENDED RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
WE HAD SOCIAL TIES.
THOSE ALSO MEDIATED SOME OF
THE EFFECT, SO IT WAS A VERY
STRONGLY SIGNIFICANT FINDING.
THIS PAPER WAS
PUBLISHED IN PLUS ONE.
FOR ME, THIS IS THE
SOCIAL DIMENSION.
WE THINK A LOT ABOUT SOCIAL
ISOLATION THESE DAYS AS A
VERY IMPORTANT HEALTH RISK.
THIS IS A PRE-PANDEMIC
PHOTO, BUT THE ABILITY OF
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OLDER
PEOPLE, TO ATTEND RELIGIOUS
SERVICES, TO BE PART
OF A LARGER COMMUNITY, AN
INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY,
I MIGHT ADD, BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND FOR SOME DISABLED OLDER
PEOPLE, THIS REALLY MIGHT
BE THE ONLY OUTING OF THE
WEEK, WHO LIVE IN GROUP
HOMES, WHO NEED ASSISTANCE TO
TRAVEL OR TRANSPORT THEMSELVES.
THEY GET THAT KIND OF HELP.
SO THIS IS A PHOTO OF
A GROUP HOME MEMBER
ATTENDING A SERVICE.
I AM QUITE SURE THIS WAS
THEIR ONLY OUTING OF THE WEEK.
THE ABILITY TO REDUCE SOCIAL
ISOLATION AND TO OFFER
PEOPLE ALL THOSE SOCIAL
TIES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT
FOR HEALTH SEEMS LIKE A
CRITICAL DIMENSION OF
RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE, AMONG
ALL THE MEASURES OF RELIGION.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE PANELS.
THE OTHER WAS IN
SERIOUS ILLNESS.
THIS WAS, AGAIN, FROM THE
HARVARD GROUP STUDY THAT
WAS PUBLISHED IN 2022.
THEIR FINDINGS ALSO UNDERSCORED
THE SAME SORT OF BENEFICIAL
AND PROTECTIVE EFFECT.
THEY ALSO HAD HUNDREDS OF
STUDIES OF THE ROLE OF
SPIRITUALITY IN SERIOUS ILLNESS.
THE STUDIES CONCLUDED
THAT MOST PATIENTS WITH
SERIOUS ILLNESS THOUGHT
THAT SPIRITUALITY WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO THEM AND
THEY WERE OFTEN NOT GETTING
ENOUGH OF THE SPIRITUAL
SUPPORT THEY WANTED FROM
THE HEALTH CARE SERVICES
THEY WERE A PART OF.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE EVIDENCE
CATEGORIES, THE ROLE OF
SPIRITUALITY, SPIRITCAL
NEEDS IN SERIOUS ILLNESS,
SPIRITUAL CARE, PATIENT
DECISION-MAKING AND ALSO
SPIRITCAL INTERVENTIONS
AND SERIOUS ILLNESS.
THOSE WERE THE
CATEGORIES STUDIED.
THE FINDINGS WERE VERY
STRONGLY PROTECTIVE.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT
PROVISION OF MEANING AND
COMFORT IN A SERVICE THAT
HAS A HEALING SERVICE,
FOLLOWING THE REGULAR
SERVICES AND PEOPLE PRAY
TOGETHER AND OFFER EACH
OTHER COMFORT AND SUPPORT.
JUST TO SUM UP, AND I
THINK THIS IS WHAT I WANT
TO START HERE BY SAYING,
RELIGION HAS THESE PROTECTIVE
EFFECTS ON THE HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS.
THE HARVARD STUDY, THE
EVIDENCE IS SO STRONG.
I LIKE TO SAY NO ONE
WILL EVER NEED TO DO THAT
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AGAIN,
OR AT LEAST NOT FOR 30 MORE
YEARS, BECAUSE THEY DID
SUCH A GOOD JOB ON IT.
THE FINDINGS WERE
SO COMPLETELY CLEAR.
THE EVIDENCE IS REALLY
INCONTROVERTIBLE THAT THERE IS
A
SIGNIFICANT PROTECTIVE EFFECT.
IT IS ATTENDANCE THAT MATTERS
ON ADULT MORTALITY AND ON
SPIRITUALITY ON BETTER
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS
WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS, THOSE
BEING THE TWO CATEGORIES.
TO BACK UP FOR A MINUTE
TO THE CAUSAL PATHWAYS FOR
THE EFFECT OF RELIGION ON
HEALTH, WE KNOW FROM SURVEYS
THAT ADJUST FOR THESE
-- LOTS OF VARIABLES, THAT
PEOPLE WHO ATTEND SERVICES
REGULARLY ARE SUCH MESS
LIKELY TO BE SMOKERS, THEY ARE
MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A HEALTHY
DIET, DO NOT BINGE DRINK, GET
HEALTH SCREENINGS AND
DOING A LOT OF OTHER
POSITIVE BEHAVIORS.
YOU WOULD WANT TO ADJUST
FOR THOSE THINGS TO FIND
OUT HOW MUCH OF THE PATHWAY
IS MEDIATED THROUGH BETTER
BEHAVIOR.
SOME OF IT IS.
THAT IS A DEMONSTRATED
CAUSAL PATHWAY THAT MATTERS,
BUT ALSO, THE ROLE OF
ATTENDANCE IN PROVIDING
A BROADER REACH FOR SOCIAL
NETWORKS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT.
PEOPLE WHO ATTEND RELIGIOUS
SERVICES REGULARLY ARE
MORE LIKELY TO GET
MARRIED, STAY MARRIED, MORE
LIKELY TO SOCIALIZE WITH
OTHERS AND HAVE LARGER NETWORKS.
THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO
BELONG TO OTHER COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS ALSO AND TO
VOLUNTEER FOR OTHER COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO
PROVIDE SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR
OTHERS AND ALSO TO RECEIVE
SOCIAL SUPPORT FROM OTHERS.
THERE IS A LOT TO BE
SAID ABOUT THAT SOCIAL
CONTACT AND TIES THAT THE
CONGREGATION REPRESENTS A SORT
OF YEAH SNEAK SET OF NETWORK
TIES THAT CAN BE ACCESSED.
IT IS A FAIRLY LARGE GROUP AND
OFFERS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
FINALLY, THAT SOCIAL CAPITAL
PART IS ANOTHER REALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF BELONGING
TO COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS
THAT BRIDGE WITH OTHER
COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS OR THAT
BOND VERY TIGHTLY WITHIN THEM.
I THINK OF ALL THOSE AS
SOME OF THE DEMONSTRATED
EMPIRICAL WAY RELIGIOUS
ATTENDANCE IS ATTACHED TO
BETTER HEALTH.
THEY DON'T EXPLAIN ALL
THE EFFECT, BUT THEY
DO EXPLAIN SOME OF IT.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S
DEFINITION AGAIN, BECAUSE
CERTAINLY, RELIGION IS
A COMMUNITY INTO WHICH
WE ARE BORN, OR NOT, BUT
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES OF
LIFE IN WHICH WE ARE BORN,
GROW UP, LIVE, WORK AND
AGE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
WITH A LIFE COURSE DIMENSION
THAT ALSO HAS ITS BIGGEST
IMPACT LATER IN LIFE,
ESPECIALLY IN CHRONIC DISEASES.
I WOULD SAY THIS IS WHAT I KNEW.
I KNEW WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL RESEARCH WAS.
IT WAS JUST MORE AND MORE OF
IT, AND ALWAYS THERE WAS THIS
DEMONSTRATED POSITIVE EFFECT.
BUT I THINK IN THE GROWING
PART OF MY JOURNEY WAS IN
COMING TO EMORY UNIVERSITY,
WHERE THEY WEREN'T
NECESSARILY DOING ANY
RESEARCH AT ALL OR THINKING
ABOUT THE ROLE OF RELIGION
IN INDIVIDUAL LIVES.
THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED
IN THINKING ABOUT IT AS
A FOCUS FOR SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS
IN THE COMMUNITY, FAITH
-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
PARTICULARLY, AND THE WAY
IN WHICH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS
WORKED WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH INSTITUTIONS.
I CAME TO EMORY ON THIS
RELIGION AND HEALTH --
PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE.
THIS IS WHERE THINGS STARTED
TO GET MORE COMPLICATED.
IT WAS BROADENING MY WORLD
IN A BIG WAY AND MAKING
IT MORE CONFUSING ALSO.
IN TRYING TO PUT SOME OF THESE
ISSUES TOGETHER -- I'M SORRY.
THERE IS A BIG BAR ACROSS
THE TOP OF MY SLIDES.
I HOPE IT IS NOT BLOCKING
YOUR VIEW, BUT I'M INTRODUCING
TWO OF THE THREE CO
-AUTHORS FOR THE PAPER WE
DID.
BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
INVITED PAPER THAT WAS TO
BRING OUT CONTROVERSIES.
I INVITED JAMES COCHRANE,
HE WAS A FACULTY MEMBER
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE
TOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA AND
WORKED ON A LOT OF PROJECTS
FOR TO THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION, RELIGIOUS
ENTITIES THEY DID GIS
MAPPING FOR.
HIS WORK WAS REALLY FOUNDATIONAL
IN THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS
AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL,
NOT THE INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL.
ANOTHER CO-AUTHOR WAS JOHN
BLEVINS, WHO HAS WRITTEN A
LOT -- THIS IS HIS RECENT
BOOK ON CHRISTIANITY'S
ROLE IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND
DEVELOPMENT, FASCINATING WORK.
HE WORKED A LOT ON
THE CHAMPS PROJECT OF
THE GATES FOUNDATION.
VERY ATTACHED TO GLOBAL
HEALTH IN A WAY THAT I AM NOT.
THE THIRD AUTHOR -- THE
OFFICIAL GUIDELINES BEFORE THE
SAFE PRACTICES WERE
DISREGARDED, THEY REQUIRED
THE PLACEMENT OF THE CORPSE
IN BLACK BODY BAGS AND
THE POOR TREATMENT OF
THE DECEASED WERE
CONSIDERED REALLY VERY
OBJECTIONABLE BY MANY PEOPLE.
INTERNATIONAL FAITH-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS DECIDED TO
WORK WITH THE WHO TO
IDENTIFY A NEW PROTOCOL FOR
WHAT WERE NOW CALLED SAFE
AND DIGNIFIED PRACTICES.
THOSE REVISED GUIDELINES
WERE PUBLISHED IN 2014.
IF THEY PUBLISH GUIDELINES
IN 2014 IN SWITZERLAND,
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
MEAN IT IS GOING TO GET
ON THE GROUND.
BUT THIS IS WHERE THE KEY ROLE
OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FOCUS
1,000, IT IS NAMED FOR A
FOCUS ON THE FIRST 1,000
DAYS OF A CHILD'S LIFE,
THEY ORGANIZED A MEETING
OF TWO GROUPS THEY HAD
CALLED TOGETHER IN THE PAST.
THERE WERE EXISTING SOCIAL
NETWORKS AND TIES, THE ISLAMIST
GROUP AND CHRISTIAN GROUP.
THEY CALLED A MEETING FOR
TWO DAYS OF CLERGY, IMAMS
ANDEESES TO COME TOGETHER
TO PREPARE MESSAGES FOR
THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT
THEY COULD DISTRIBUTE OUT
TO THEIR DISTRICTS AND DOWN
TO INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES
AND CONGREGATIONS.
THIS MEETING THAT TOOK
PLACE IN THE CAPITAL WAS A
PIVOT POINT FOR THE CRISIS.
THE FAITH LEADERS PLAYED
A TRANSFORMATIONAL ROLE.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF RESOURCES HERE
THAT YOU CAN SEE AND FOLLOW --
YOU COULD GET THE SLIDES AND BE
ABLE TO TOLL LOW THE LINKS
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ
REPORTS ABOUT THESE EFFORTS.
THE SAFE AND DIGNIFIED BURIAL
PRACTICES ALLOWED PEOPLE
TO RESPECT THE RELIGIOUS
RITUALS THAT ARE TRADITIONAL
AND IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE,
AND THEY CHANGED THE COLOR OF
THE BAGS FROM BLACK TO WHITE.
IT WAS MUCH MORE RESPECTFUL,
BUT IT ALSO DID NOT
INVOLVE PHYSICAL CONTACT.
THEREFORE, IT PROTECTED THE
COMMUNITY IN A MUCH BETTER WAY.
HERE IS A POSTER THAT WAS
USED TO SPREAD THE MESSAGES.
YOU COULD SEE THIS MESSAGE
IS FROM RELIGIOUS LEADERS
AND FOCUS 1,000, AND SOME OF
THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
HERE.
THIS BANNER AND A NUMBER
OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND
BOOKS ARE ALL PART OF AN
EXHIBIT THAT WAS AT THE CDC
MUSEUM HERE IN ATLANTA
THAT WAS ORGANIZED, A
WHOLE EXHIBIT ABOUT CDC'S
ROLE IN THE EBOLA CRISIS.
THE CENTER OF THE EXHIBIT WAS
A SORT OF CIRCULAR AREA THAT
CONTAINED OFF THE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE FAITH-BASED
RESPONSE.
IT WAS KIND OF THE
HEART OF THE EXHIBIT.
IT RAN FOR QUITE A
WHILE, ALMOST A YEAR.
IT WAS A REMARKABLE EXHIBIT.
IT HAD BEEN DIGITIZED.
IF YOU GO TO THE CDC MUSEUM'S
WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE THE
EXHIBIT THE WAY IT WAS.
YOU COULD TRAVEL THROUGH IT.
IT IS REALLY INTERESTING,
THE PROJECT THEY DID.
DR. JALLOH, WHO WAS THE CO
-AUTHOR ON THE PAPER, HIS
FATHER IS THE ORGANIZER
WHO HAD A CAREER AT THE
UNITED NATIONS, OF FOCUS
1,000 AND ROUTING THIS TOGETHER.
MUHAMMAD, JR. WAS
ALSO INVOLVED WITH IT.
HE TOLD US AT A SEMINAR
WE WERE DOING THAT HE WAS
BRINGING BACK MATERIALS
FROM THAT MEETING TO PUT INTO
THE CDC'S MUSEUM.
WHAT IS IN HERE IN THE CASE,
IN MY AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY,
IS A KORAN PRESENTED TO
THE CDC BY THE ISLAMIC
ACTION GROUP
THROUGH FOCUS 1,000.
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE KORAN.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF
A BIBLE THAT WAS USED
AT THE SAME MEETING.
THERE'S ALSO A FACEBOOK
LINK, IF YOU WANT TO SEE
MUHAMMAD AND THE CURATOR
DISCUSSING THE EXHIBIT.
SHE TOLD US IT WAS HER
FAVORITE PART OF THE EXHIBIT.
THE MARKED PASSAGE HERE IS
FROM LEVITICUS 13, BUT IF
THE SPOT IS WHITE IN THE
SKIN OF THE BODY AND APPEARS
NO DEEPER THAN THE SKIN,
THE PRIEST SHALL SHUT UP THE
DISEASED PERSON FOR SEVEN DAYS.
THE OWNER OF THIS BIBLE
HAS WRITTEN QUARANTINE
IN THE MARGIN HERE.
THIS WAS A REMARKABLE SET
OF THINGS THAT CAME TO THE
CDC, I THINK, AND MANY
PEOPLE SAW THE EXHIBIT.
I THINK THE ROLE OF-FACE-
BASE ORGANIZATIONS GOING
FROM BEING HELPERS IN THE
BEGINNING THE, TO CLEARLY
BEING ONE OF THE MOST
RISKY PARTS OF THE ENTIRE
-- MOST RAPIDLY SPREADING
PARTS OF THE DISEASE, AND
THEN TO PIVOT AGAIN TO
BEING THE BIGGER HELPERS.
THE MEETING OF THE CLERGY
THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE
CAPITAL THEN DISTRIBUTED
ALL THE TEACHINGS, SO THEY
WROTE SERMONS, THEY SENT
TEXT MESSAGES TO INDIVIDUALS
EVERY DAY TO COMBINE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND RELIGION
MESSAGES, THEY SUGGESTED
SCRIPTURE READINGS.
BASICALLY, JUST DEVELOPED
THE MATERIALS FOR TEACHING
PEOPLE ABOUT EBOLA AND
THE WAY THERE ARE MESSAGES
AND TEXTS THAT SUPPORT
THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
THAT NEEDED TO BE TAKEN.
THIS IS A POSTER THAT
WAS IN THE EXHIBIT.
OCTOBER 2014 WAS WHEN THE
SAFE AND DIGNIFIED BURIAL
PRACTICES WERE PUBLISHED.
THEN IT TOOK THEM A MONTH
OR SO TO DEVELOP THE
GUIDELINES, AND YOU CAN
SEE FOREVER AFTER, THE CASES
WERE FALLING.
THIS PIVOT OCCURRED AT A MOMENT.
I CAN'T MAKE A CAUSAL
ARGUMENT, BUT CLEARLY WAS
ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT
HAPPENED BEFORE THE DECLINE
STARTED, WHERE IT WAS GOING ON
LONGER THAN IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
THIS WAS THE WAY THAT I
WAS TRYING TO STRUGGLE
WITH WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
CONTRADICTION AND COMPLEXITIES
HERE.
IF WE KNOW THAT PARTICIPATION
IN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES IS
MAINLY PROTECTIVE, THAT
IS ROCK SOLID EVIDENCE
THAT NO ONE WILL EVER BE
ABLE TO REALLY CHALLENGE
-- I WILL SKIP THE COVID
PART -- THERE WILL -- THE
WAY THE ARTICLE IS LAID
OUT, FIRST WE LAY OUT
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, WHICH IS
FAIRLY SIMPLE, AS FAR AS
WHICH WAY THE RISK FACTORS GO.
BUT THEN IT SEEMS THERE
ARE LOTS OF BENEFITS OF
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PUBLIC
HEALTH AGENCIES AND-FACE-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE
EBOLA CRISIS IS A NICELY
COMPLICATED ONE, WHERE THEY
TAKE DIFFERENT ROLES AND
THINGS GET WORKED OUT.
BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY
EXAMPLES OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH EFFORTS OF FAITH
-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
SINCE WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME,
WE COULD TALK ABOUT COVID.
THERE'S A LOT MORE
EXAMPLES THERE.
THE THIRD PART, AND THIS
WAS VERY MUCH ON MY MIND
A YEAR AGO OR SO IN THE
WAKE OF THE DECISION OF THE
SUPREME COURT, THAT THERE
ARE TIMES WHEN RELIGION
AND THE STATE COME TOGETHER
IN A WAY IN WHICH THE
RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND
BELIEFS OF ONE GROUP ARE
BEING IMPOSED ON OTHERS
IN A VERY DETRIMENTAL WAY.
WHERE WE THINK ABOUT THE
MOST HARM BEING DONE BY
RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC
HEALTH CONTEXT IS REALLY WHEN
IT ARISES TO THE
POWER OF THE STATE.
THE ORGANIZATION AND
COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL
LEVELS, THERE IS A LOT MORE
POSSIBILITY FOR PROTECTIVE
EFFECTS, BUT THIS IS THE
WAY IT SEEMS LIKE I WAS
ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
ABOUT HOW CAN THESE TWO
THINGS BE TRUE, HOW CAN
RELIGION BE SO PROTECTIVE
IN SOME CASES, AND YET
SO HARMFUL IN OTHERS.
THIS WAS GOING -- WE HAVE TIME.
SHALL I GO ON TO THE COVID PART?
OR QUESTIONS NOW?
>> IT'S UP TO YOU.
MAYBE FIVE, TEN MINUTES ON
THE COVID PART, AND LEAVE THE
REST FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
>> SURE.
GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE
TO PUT QUESTIONS IN THE
CHAT, IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
I WILL GO BACK TO THE TOP.
IT WAS SEEMLY IRONIC TO ME THAT
THE ONE SINGLE MOST PROTECTIVE
ASPECT OF RELIGION IN ALL THE
STUDIES THEY DID IN THE
REVIEW WAS ATTENDANCE AT
RELIGIOUS SERVICES WAS A
MOST PROTECTIVE SINGLE
ASPECT OF RELIGION.
THAT'S BECAUSE IT
IS A SOCIAL TIE.
BUT THAT WAS PRECISELY THE
THING THAT WAS THE MOST
PROBLEMATIC WHEN INFECTIOUS
DISEASES ARE AT RISK.
THE COVID EPIDEMIC WAS --
PANDEMIC, WE GOT SHUT DOWN.
RELIGIOUS CONGRESS GAUGES
CERTAINLY GOT SHUT DOWN.
IT JUST SEEMED VERY,
VERY IRONIC TO ME.
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY
SOME OF THAT IS SIMILAR
WITH THE EBOLA EPIDEMIC,
BUT IT WAS REALLY IRONIC.
I HAD FIVE LESSONS FROM
THE COVID RESPONSE.
EVERYBODY IS THINKING ABOUT
COVID, AND I WAS TELLING
JOAN BEFORE WE STARTED
THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE
THE DAVID LARSON LECTURE AT
DUKE UNIVERSITY ON MARCH 12,
THE DAY EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.
I GAVE THE TALK TO NEXT
YEAR, AND THIS WAS THE TALK,
OR A PART OF IT, ABOUT
FIVE LESSONS FROM THE COVID
RESPONSE, A VERY DIFFERENT
TALK I WOULD HAVE GIVEN
THE DAY IT GOT CANCELED.
I HAVE A SLIDE
FOR EACH OF THESE.
FAITH COMMUNITIES ARE
EXPERT ORGANIZERS.
THIS IS AN AMAZING PHOTOGRAPH
FROM THE SALISBURY CATHEDRAL.
GUESS THEY HAD A DRONE
TAKING THE PICTURE.
THESE ARE -- THIS IS A
VACCINATION CENTER THEY JUST
SET UP ON JANUARY 20, 2021.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE
BEEN THERE, BUT IT IS AN
UNBELIEVABLY BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
THE ORGANIZATION
OF THIS WAS CLEAR.
I HAVE A SLIDE I SHOW IN
MY CLASS SOMETIMES ABOUT A
NEW MEANING FOR ORGANIZED
RELIGION AND THE TITLE
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS
QUOTES ABOUT ORGANIZED RELIGION.
I THOUGHT THIS PERSON HAS
NEVER REALLY BEEN PART OF
A GROUP, BECAUSE I THINK
MANY CONGREGATIONS ARE
EXTREMELY WELL-ORGANIZED.
THEY HAVE COMMITTEES,
JOBS, DEADLINES AND
THEY GET THINGS DONE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF
ORGANIZATION, AND A REASON
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EIGHT TO
PARTNER WITH FAITH COMMUNITIES.
AT THE SAME TIME, MEDIA
REPORTS ON RELIGION AND
COVID, I THINK, WERE MUCH
MORE DRAWN TO THE CONFLICT
THAT WAS PRESENT AND
NOT THE COOPERATION.
THERE'S JUST HEADLINES
HERE THE OUTBREAK THAT
TOOK PLACE IN SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON THAT WAS VERY EARLY
AND BEFORE ANYONE REALLY KNEW
WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT THERE
WERE A LOT OF DEMONSTRATIONS.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, I WAS IN
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY AND WAS
LISTENING TO THE NEW YORK NEWS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF UNREST.
AND BROOKLYN WAS DEMONSTRATING
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CHAOS.
THE HARM THAT WAS DONE BY THE
CLOSURE OF CHURCHES AND TEMPLES
AND MOSQUES WAS VERY DETRIMENTAL
TO THE MENTAL HEALTH
OF MANY PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT MEDIA UNDERSCORING
OF THE DOWNSIDES OF THE
FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS'
RESPONSE WAS REALLY
DRAMATIC.
I THINK -- WE DID
A STUDY ON THIS.
IF WE HAVE EXTRA TIME, I
WILL BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU.
TRUSTED MESSENGERS, I
THINK THAT BECAME A WATCH
WORD FOR PEOPLE ON THE
WEBINARS THAT I WAS GOING TO
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
PARTNERSHIPS DEPEND ON TRUSTED
MESSENGERS AND FAMILIAR SPACES
AND PLACES THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE
COMING TO.
THIS WAS FROM THE SALT
LAKE TRIBUNE, SALT LAKE
COUNTY TAKING VACCINES TO
BLACK CHURCHES, MOSQUES.
FAITH LEADERS ARE TRUSTED
MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE ABLE TO REACH
HARD-TO-REACH MEMBERS OF
COMMUNITIES AND TO HOST DRIVES
AND REPRESENT AN ABSOLUTELY
INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES.
INTERFAITH ALLIANCES
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
THIS IS JUST THE COVER OF
A BOOKLET THAT THE TONY
BLAIR INSTITUTE PUT OUT.
NO ONE WAS THERE FOR THE HAJJ.
THERE IS THE POPE SPEAKING TO AN
EMPTY SQUARE ON EASTER SUNDAY.
TWO HAUNTING LOOKS.
BUT THE INTERFAITH GROUPS ARE
REALLY POWERFUL IN SPREADING
THE MESSAGE MUCH FURTHER
THAN JUST TO INDIVIDUAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
FINALLY, A PREFERENCE
FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.
THERE IS THE POPE SPEAKING
TO BE AN EMPTY CHAMBER AT
THE UNITED NATIONS, URGING
VACCINES BE MADE AVAILABLE
TO THE POOREST, THE MOST
VULNERABLE AND THOSE WHO
EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION.
I WOULD SAY THOSE ARE ALL
FIVE LESSONS FROM FAITH
-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FROM
THE COVID RESPONSE THAT I
THINK WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
THEY DEFINITELY DON'T
NECESSARILY FIT WITH
THE MEDIA PORE TRAYALS.
I THINK I WILL STOP
THERE, AND MAYBE WE COULD
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
>> WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS PRESENTATION REALLY
MEANT A LOT TO ME ON SO
MANY LEVELS, NOT JUST
FROM OUR WORK AT THE NIH
RELIGION, SPIRITUALTY
AND HEALTH SCIENCE INTEREST
GROUP, BUT ALSO ON A
PERSONAL LEVEL, HAVING SERVED
AS THE PEACE CORP. VOLUNTEER
IN KAFKA WHEN THERE WAS AN
EBOLA OUTBREAK AND BEING
A PART OF A FAITH-BASED
COMMUNITY OURSELF, WHERE WE
JOKE, WE LOVE OUR COMMITTEES.
YOUR MESS ACT ABOUT HOW
ORGANIZED THE COMMITTEES
ARE AND ABLE TO ACT, AND
SO MANY OTHER KEY MESSAGES
AND POINTS YOU CONVEYED,
AND THE PICTURES REALLY
BROUGHT THOSE MESSAGES HOME.
THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION,
THE CHANGING OF THE COLORS
OF THE BAGS AND THE
CHANGING OF THE PROTOCOLS.
AND WOW, THAT REPORT, 246
PAGES AND RELIGION WITH
YOU NOT EVEN MENTIONED.
I BELIEVED YOU, DON'T WORRY.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK
-- JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THERE'S SO MUCH RICHNESS
THAT YOU SHARED WITH US.
I WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR
FOLKS TO BE INVITED TO TURN ON
THEIR VIDEOS, ASK QUESTIONS.
I WILL START US OFF WITH
A QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
AS I AM ASKING, IF PEOPLE
COULD RAISE THEIR HANDS
OR TYPE YOUR QUESTIONS
IN THE CHAT, WE HAVE ABOUT
16 MINUTES.
WE WILL GET TO AS
MANY AS WE CAN.
DR. IDLER, COULD YOU PLEASE
SAY MORE ABOUT THE HEALTH
AND RETIREMENT STUDY
ANALYSIS THAT YOU TALKED
ABOUT?
WERE THERE OTHER MEASURES OF
RS IN THE DATA AND DID THEY
REDISTRICT MORTALITY ALSO?
>> WELL, I WOULD BE HAPPY
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BY
SHARING MY SCREEN AGAIN.
I HAVE A BIGGER TABLE FROM
THAT STUDY THAT I CAN SHOW
YOU, FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO LIKE TO LOOK AT HAZARD
RATIO TABLES.
YES, THEY HAD A QUESTION
ON RELIGIOUS FOR PASSION,
HOW OFTEN DO YOU ATTEND
RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND HOW
IMPORTANT IS RELIGION
TO YOU, AND WHAT IS YOUR
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION.
THERE WERE SUCH
INTERESTING FINDST HERE.
THIS IS SET UP THE WAY THE
OTHER ONE WAS, BUT INCLUDES
THE OTHER RELIGION VARIABLES.
SO WHEN -- THIS IS A KIND
OF STEADY ASSOCIATION
ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
WHAT I QUOTED IN THE SLIDE
WAS FROM THE HEALTH STATUS
MODEL, WHICH DIDN'T
INCLUDE THE HEALTH BEHAVIORS
OR SOCIAL TIES.
YOU CAN SEE THE ASARD
RATIO GETS CLOSER TO 1, BUT
THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED
THE FULLY ADJUSTED MODEL,
AND THE 40% DECREASE
IN MORTALITY FOR THOSE
ATTENDING FREQUENTLY,
COMPARED TO THOSE WHO
NEVER ATTEND IS SIGNIFICANT.
JUST THOSE WHO REGULARLY
ATTEND, WHICH WAS ONCE
ABOUT MONTH, AROUND ONCE A
MONTH, AND THEN OCCASIONALLY
WAS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR.
I'M GETTING MY POINTER
BACK HERE, SO WHEN I
RUN IT OVER THINGS, YOU
WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS
TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
YOU COULD SEE THERE IS A DOSE
RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP THERE.
MODERATE OR OCCASIONAL LEVELS
OF ATTENDANCE ALSO HAVE A
SIGNIFICANTLY PROTECTIVE
EFFECT, NOT AS STRONG,
BUT IT IS AN
EXPOSURE VARIABLE.
THAT'S THE WAY I THINK OF IT.
AN EXPOSURE TO THE COMMUNITY
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO
ATTENDING THE SERVICES.
IT IS ALSO AN EXPOSURE TO
EXPERIENCES OF MUSIC AND
TEXT AND DOUGHNUTS AND
COFFEE AND OTHER THINGS THAT
GO ALONG WITH THAT GATHERING.
ALL OF IT IS FOR
LOTS OF REASONS.
IT IS SOCIAL.
I'M A SOCIOLOGIST, SO
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I MENTIONED THE HEALTH BEHAVIORS
MEDIATED SOME OF THE EFFECT.
THAT TAKES AWAY
SOME OF THE EFFECT.
WHEN WE ADDED SOCIAL TIES,
THAT ALSO TAKES AWAY SOME OF
THE EFFECT OR MEDIATES IT.
BUT STILL, THERE IS
A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT.
THAT WAS THE
ATTENDANCE PART OF IT.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION,
HOW IMPORTANT IS RELIGION
TO YOU, WHEN WE ARE PUT
IT IN JUST BY ITSELF,
THAT'S 1.13, TELLING US
PEOPLE WHO SAID RELIGION
WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM HAD
INCREASED RISK OF MORTALITY
OF ABOUT 13%.
WHEN YOU ADD IN SOME OF
THE OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC
AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
VARIABLES, IT GOES DOWN,
BUT IT IS STILL 4% GREATER.
THAT IS NOT A PROTECTIVE EFFECT.
THAT IS AN INCREASED HAZARD.
AND THIS IS A FEATURE OF
DIFFERENT VARIABLES AND
DIFFERENT WAYS OF MEASURING
RELIGION THAT I HAVE SEEN
IN OTHER STUDIES, SO IT
WASN'T A SURPRISE AT ALL.
IT SAYS TO ME THAT THE
ENHANCED IMPORTANCE OF
RELIGION OFTEN COINCIDES
WITH SUFFERING IN LIFE, WITH
THE ONSET OF SERIOUS
ILLNESS OR WITH DIMINISHED
QUALITY OF LIFE OR WITH
BEREAVEMENT AND LOSS,
AND THE SIGNIFICATION
OF RELIGION AS VERY
IMPORTANT ACCOMPANIES OTHER
EXPERIENCES THAT ALSO MAY BE
HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME
AS THE PERSON IS NEARING
THE END OF THEIR LIFE.
THAT IS HOW I INTERPRET IT, BUT
IT IS A VERY CONSISTENT EFFECT.
I THINK IT REALLY BRINGS
OUT A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THIS SUBJECTIVE MEASURE
OF RELIGION AND THIS MUCH
MORE BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE
MEASURE, THE CONTRAST
BETWEEN THEM IS GREAT.
THEY ARE BOTH IN THE MODEL
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY
ARE ADJUSTING FOR EACH
OTHER, AND SO THAT ENHANCED
IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION,
I THINK IS SIGNIFYING THE
PRESENCE OF SUFFERING.
DOWN HERE, THEY HAD
MEASURES OF AFFILIATION.
THIS IS FASCINATING.
IF YOU PUT ONLY THESE THREE
VARIABLES IN THE MODEL, YOU GET
GIGANTIC INCREASED HAZARDS.
OTHER RELIGION IS NOT
DIFFERENT FROM NO RELIGION,
UH ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES
HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF
MORTALITY.
WHY IS THAT?
WELL, IT'S BECAUSE WHEN YOU
ADJUST FOR AGE, YOU FIND
OUT THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE
ARE OLDER AND THEREFORE,
CLOSER TO THE END
OF THEIR LIVES.
ALL THE SIGNIFICANCE COMPLETELY
DISAPPEARS, EXCEPT FOR
CONSERVATIVE PROTESTANTS.
WHEN YOU ADJUST FOR SES,
INCOME, THAT ALSO DISAPPEARS.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO
THE FULLY ADJUSTED MODEL,
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION PEOPLE HAVE.
THERE IS GOING TO BE NO
DIFFERENCE IN MORTALITY RISK.
IT IS REALLY ABOUT TO
THE BEHAVIORAL MEASURE
MOST PROFOUNDLY, AND
TO SOME EXTENT ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT RELIGION IS.
I THINK THAT IS INTERESTING.
THESE ARE ALL THE RELIGION
VARIABLES IN THE HEALTH
AND RETIREMENT STUDY.
THAT STUDY HAS BEEN
GOING ON SINCE 1992.
THEY ALWAYS ASK WHAT
AFFILIATION PEOPLE HAD, BUT
THEY DIDN'T ASK ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS ABOUT RELIGION.
THAT'S REALLY TRUE, IF I
COULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT
FEDERALLY FUNDED SURVEYS,
THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE IN
GENERAL, THEY OFTEN DON'T
CONTAIN ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT RELIGION AT ALL.
HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY
FIRST INTRODUCED A RELIGIOUS
ATTENDANCE VARIABLE IN 2004.
I WAS JUST LOOKING THROUGH
THE ICPSR SEARCHES FOR WHERE
I COULD FIND VARIABLES
I WAS INTERESTED IN.
WHEN I SAW IT WAS IN THE
HRS, I WAS THRILLED BECAUSE
THAT MEANT THERE WAS
WONDERFUL FOLLOW-UP DATA --
AN AMAZING STUDY,
AND FOLLOW-UP DATA WE
COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
WE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO
PUBLISH, USING THE RELIGION
VARIABLES WITH HOST OUTCOMES.
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE TONS OF QUESTIONS,
BUT I WANT TO SEE IF
ANY OF THE AUDIENCE
PARTICIPANTS HAVE QUESTIONS.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO RAISE
YOUR HAND OR PUT YOUR
QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT.
DON'T BE BASHFUL.
>> JOAN, THERE IS A QUESTION
IN THE CHAT ABOUT THE
AVAILABILITY OF DATA --
>> THANK YOU.
>> YES, I JUST OPENED IT.
IT IS FROM MY FRIEND.
NO, NOT ANY THAT I KNOW OF.
I WAS JUST AT AN INTERESTING
TALK YESTERDAY ABOUT
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND HOW
PEOPLE WENT VIRTUALLY WITH
LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING
RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN THAT IT'S OVER NOW.
DID SOCIAL ISOLATION DECLINE AND
WERE PEOPLE MORE LONELY THEN.
A LOT OF INTERESTING FINDINGS.
IT SEEMED TO ME THE MOST
IMPORTANT EFFECT OF ONLINE
PARTICIPATION WAS PRESERVING
THE SOCIAL TIES FOR
LATER WHEN WE COULD
CONGREGATE AGAIN.
SO WHILE IT WASN'T ESPECIALLY
SATISFYING IN ITSELF, IT
WAS STILL A TIE, A LESS
SATISFYING TIE, BUT IT
WAS DEFINITELY
MAINTAINING THAT CONTACT.
YEAH.
I CAN SAY PERSONALLY, SINGING
IN YOUR CHOIR PRACTICE ON
ZOOM IS VERY UNSATISFYING,
BUT LIKE EVERYBODY
JUST REMEMBERS EACH OTHER
AND THEN WHEN YOU CAN DO IT
AGAIN FOR REAL, IT IS GOOD.
I DON'T KNOW THERE'S ANY DATA.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY, BUT
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW.
I THINK OVERALL, MEMBERSHIP
DECLINE WAS A SERIOUS
PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN GOING
ON ALREADY, GOING ON BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC, AND IT STILL IS.
IT WOULD BE HARD TO SEPARATE
THAT FROM THE SECULAR TRENDS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
HERE IS A NEW
QUESTION FROM JAVIER.
IS THERE ANY STUDY COMPARING
RELIGION ATTENDANCE JUST
FOR FAMILY REASONS OR
FOR PERSONAL INDIVIDUAL
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE
OR CONVERSION?
>> YEAH, THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION, SORT OF SEPARATING
THE SOCIAL FROM THE PERSONAL.
A LONG TIME AGO, THE
PSYCHOLOGIST WROTE
ABOUT INTRINSIC AN
EXTRINSIC RELIGIOSITY.
THING TWO THINGS KIND OF
LINE UP WITH WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING, THAT THE REELINGOUS
ATTENDANCE JUST FOR FAMILY
REASONS IS KIND OF
THE EXTRINSIC PART.
WE ATTEND SERVICES TO GAIN
THINGS LIKE NOT BEING IN
BAD WITH OUR FAMILY, OR
PLEASING OTHERS OR DOING
SOMETHING FOR SOME
TRANSACTIONAL REASON.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT
PERSPECTIVE AT ALL, BUT
THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS FRAMED.
THE INTRINSIC WAS REALLY
MORE SINCERE AND RIGHTEOUS
AND IN YOUR HEART, SO THOSE
WERE THE BETTER REASONS
FOR BEING RELIGIOUS.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT JUST
FOR FAMILY REASONS MIGHT
LINE UP WITH THIS OCCASIONAL
ATTENDANCE BECAUSE THAT
MIGHT NOT BE EVERY WEEK.
IT MIGHT BE BEING THERE
FOR HOLIDAYS AND OTHER
SPECIAL TIMES WHEN FAMILIES
ARE GETTING TOGETHER, AND
THEN THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T
USUALLY ATTEND SERVICES
DEFINITELY DO IT TO HONOR
THEIR PARENTS OR WHATEVER.
YES, THERE WERE PROTECTIVE
EFFECTS FOR PEOPLE WITH
ONLY OCCASIONAL ATTENDANCE,
KIND OF LIKE HOLIDAY
ATTENDANCE, THE WAY
I WOULD THINK OF IT.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHERE
THAT IS ALL THEY HAVE, BUT THAT
DOESN'T MEAN THEY LOST THAT TIE.
THEY STILL HAVE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
I SEE DR. ANN.
>> THANKS.
THIS WAS AN AMAZING LECTURE
R. THERE STUDIES LOOKING
-- I KNOW THERE'S LOW
LOT OF WORK ON RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION, BUT I CAN
SPEAK FOR JUDAISM, AFFILIATION
IS NOT MORE THAN ABOUT
50%, BUT JEWISH PEOPLE,
AND A LOT OF THE YOUNG
JEWISH PEOPLE FEEL THEY ARE
CONNECTED AND SOCIALLY CONNECTED
FROM THE LONG CULTURAL
HISTORY THAT WE HAVE.
IS THAT IN ANY STUDIES,
IS THAT MEASURED AT ALL?
>> WELL, ONE WAY TO COME AT
THAT -- I CAN'T SHOW THEM
TO YOU BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE THE SLIDE, BUT THE
FREQUENCY OF ATTENDANCE
FOR THESE DIFFERENT
AFFILIATION GROUPS, I
THINK IT'S FROM THE HRS.
IT IS TRUE IN THE DATA SET
THAT JEWISH RESPONDENTS --
AND WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT
JEWISH COMMUNITY IN NUT
HAVEN WHEN THAT DATA WAS
BEING COLLECTED -- MUCHLESS
LIKELY TO BE FREQUENT
ATTENDERS, MORE LIKELY
TO BE THE OCCASIONAL HOLE
DAVE-BASED ATTENDERS.
YEAH, AFFILIATION DIDN'T MATTER.
IT WAS THE OCCASIONAL
PARTICIPATION THAT
WAS IMPORTANT.
I THINK YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT
COMPLETE NONPARTICIPATION
OR MORE LIKE AN IDENTITY,
A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
MEASURE OF IDENTITY.
>> EXACTLY, BECAUSE
AFFILIATION IN MY MIND MEANS
BELONGING TO A SYNAGOGUE,
SO I CAN USE MY KID AS AN
EXAMPLE.
SHE IS IN HER 30S, SHE
DOESN'T BELONG IN A SYNAGOGUE,
BUT ON HANUKKAH, SHE WAS
AT AN EVENT EVERY SINGLE
EVENING.
HOW IS THAT MEASURED?
IN HER MIND, IF SHE WAS
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONNAIRE,
WELL, I AM NOT AFFILIATED,
BUT SHE IS AFFILIATED
AND HAS IDENTITY IN GOING
TO HANUKKAH EVENTS WHERE
THEY ARE SAYING PRAYERS.
EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT
SAYING PRAYERS, SEVEN
NIGHTS OUT OF EIGHT.
>> I SEE YOU ARE KEYING
ON THE AFFILIATION.
THAT MIGHT BE MY WORD
MORE THAN THE HRS'S WORD.
YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF
A, I BELIEVE IS THE
STEM FOR THAT QUESTION.
IT WOULD BE LIKELY SHE WOULD
HAVE SAID SHE IDENTIFIES AS
JEWISH AND OCCASIONALLY ATTEND.
IT'S NOT NEVER.
YOU SAID OCCASIONALLY.
OCCASIONAL IS -- THIS THE
WOULD BE SOME PARTICIPATION
AND SOME IDENTIFICATION.
IF SHE WERE ANSWERING THE
SURVEY, I AM JUST GUESSING
THAT'S HOW SHE WOULD ANSWER IT.
>> BUT I THINK SOMETIMES THE
QUESTIONS ARE ASKED IN SUCH
A WAY WE ARE NOT PICKING
UP -- THE IDENTIFICATION
IS EXTREMELY STRONG.
THAT'S, I THINK, WHERE
MAYBE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
MAY NEED TO BE WORDED
DIFFERENTLY, SO YOU ARE ALSO
PICKING UP THAT PIECE
OF IDENTIFICATION.
>> YEAH.
IN ANOTHER SURVEY THAT
DOZE BACK FURTHER, THE
QUESTION WAS ARE YOU A
MEMBER OF A CHURCH OR TEMPLE.
THEY ASKED IT VERY
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MEMBERSHIP.
SHE WOULD HAVE TO
ANSWER NO TO THAT.
>> RIGHT.
BUT YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY
HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO
OCCASIONALLY ATTEND SERVICES.
>> RIGHT.
>> GREAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE
ARE NEARING OUR END.
I WANT TO BE MINDFUL
OF EVERYONE'S TIME.
DR. IDLER, THAT WAS A
FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
IT WISH WE HAD MORE TIME
TO DIG IN TO QUESTIONS.
I GREATLY ENJOYED IT
AND LEARNED A LOT.
I HOPE OTHERS DID TOO.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU
FOR GIVING SO GENEROUSLY
OF YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE
WITH US.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME
OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES,
ALL OF YOU, TO DO THIS
EVENT.
AS MENTIONED, WE WILL
HAVE THE RECORDING OF THIS
WEBINAR LINK TO OUR WEBSITE,
JUST AS SOON AS WE ARE
ABLE.
AN HEADS UP, SAVE THE DATE
FOR OUR NEXT TALK NEXT
MONTH, WHILE I HAVE YOU,
ON TUESDAY, APRIL 16, WE
WILL HOLD OUR NEXT
PRESENTATION, TALKING
ABOUT WHOLE PERSON CARE
FOR MUSLIM MENTAL HEALTH.
PLEASE SAVE THAT DATE.
WET WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION
OUT TO FOLKS, WHETHER IT IS
THROUGH OUR WEBSITE OR EMAIL.
YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT US,
IF YOU HAVE INPUT FOR US,
SUGGESTIONS FOR TALKS.
SORRY WE DIDN'T GET TO
ASK YOU MORE AND PICK
YOUR BRAIN, DR. IDLER.
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT
POSSIBILITY, SO PLEASE
CONTINUE CONNECTING WITH US
AND KEEP US APPRISED OF YOUR
WORK AND MAYBE WE
COULD HAVE YOU COME BACK
AGAIN FOR MORE UPDATES.
WE WOULD LOVE THAT.
WE JUST WANT TO THE SAY, IF
ANYONE WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
OUR GROUP, WE HAVE A WEBSITE.
YOU COULD BE IN TOUCH.
THANK YOU, AND HAVE A
WONDERFUL AFTERNOON.
BYE-BYE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR INVITING ME.
>> THANK YOU.
TAKE CARE.