Emily Schulz

Religious involvement and physical and emotional functioning among African Americans: The mediating role of religious support

Objectives: Religious social support may in part account for the relationship between religious involvement and health-related outcomes. African Americans, on average, tend to have relatively high levels of religious involvement, and suffer a higher burden of health conditions than other groups. This study aimed to examine whether religious social support played a mediating role between religious involvement and physical and emotional functioning, and depressive symptoms. Design: The study used a cross sectional telephone survey among a national probability sample of African Americans (n = 803). Study participants completed telephone interviews and data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Main outcome measures: Physical and emotional functioning and depressive symptoms served as study outcomes. Results: In both the emotional functioning and depressive symptoms models, the indirect effect test from religious behaviours to emotional religious support indicated evidence for mediation. There was no mediation for the physical functioning model. Conclusion: Implications for faith-based health promotion interventions are discussed.

Role of religious involvement and spirituality in functioning among African Americans with cancer: testing a mediational model

The present study tested a mediational model of the role of religious involvement, spirituality, and physical/emotional functioning in a sample of African American men and women with cancer. Several mediators were proposed based on theory and previous research, including sense of meaning, positive and negative affect, and positive and negative religious coping. One hundred patients were recruited through oncologist offices, key community leaders and community organizations, and interviewed by telephone. Participants completed an established measure of religious involvement, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-SP-12 version 4), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Meaning in Life Scale, the Brief RCOPE, and the SF-12, which assesses physical and emotional functioning. Positive affect completely mediated the relationship between religious behaviors and emotional functioning. Though several other constructs showed relationships with study variables, evidence of mediation was not supported. Mediational models were not significant for the physical functioning outcome, nor were there significant main effects of religious involvement or spirituality for this outcome. Implications for cancer survivorship interventions are discussed.

Development of the men's prostate awareness church training: church-based workshops for African American men.

This article describes the development of a spiritually based intervention to increase informed decision making for prostate cancer screening through African American churches. The intervention used spiritually themed health messages, incorporated women as supportive health partners, and included a health information technology component. The Mens Prostate Awareness Church Training Project followed a community-based participatory research process to develop educational materials, and training for 40 community health advisors to implement the 4-part prostate health workshop series that will be implemented in 20 churches. Implications are discussed for designing culturally relevant interventions to reduce prostate cancer disparities impacting African American men.

Assessment of Religious and Spiritual Capital in African American Communities

African American faith communities are an important source of social capital. The present study adapted a theory-based social capital instrument to result in religious (e.g., from organized worship) and spiritual (e.g., from relationship with higher power) capital measures. Data from a national sample of 803 African Americans suggest the instruments have high internal reliability and are distinct from general religiosity. Measurement models confirmed factor structures. Religious capital was positively associated with self-rated health status. Religious and spiritual capital were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, but these associations largely became nonsignificant in multivariate models that controlled for demographic characteristics. An exception is for spiritual capital in the form of community participation, which retained a negative association with depressive symptoms. These instruments may have applied value for health promotion research and practice in African American communities.

Social support as a mediator of religious involvement and physical and emotional functioning in a national sample of African-Americans

Researchers propose social support as one of the factors that may explain the positive relationship often observed between religious involvement and health outcomes. African-Americans are a population that tends to have higher than average levels of religious involvement and are also disproportionately impacted by most health conditions. The present study sought to determine whether social support mediates the role of religious involvement in physical and emotional functioning and depressive symptoms, among a national probability sample of African-Americans (N = 803). Study participants completed telephone interviews. We used structural equation modelling to test hypotheses based on the theoretical model. Findings suggest evidence for a mediating role of belonging and tangible support in the association between religious behaviours and physical functioning as well as depression. There was no mediational role played by appraisal support, or for emotional functioning. Implications for faith-based health promotion interventions are discussed.

Which Personality Traits Moderate the Relationship Between Religious Capital and Depressive Symptomology in a National Sample of African Americans

The present study examined the relationship between religious capital and depressive symptoms and the moderating role of the Big Five personality constructs in a national sample of African American adults. Data were collected from a national probability sample of 803 African American men and women using a telephone survey including measures of the Big Five personality traits, religious capital, and depressive symptomology. Most interestingly, there was evidence for Personality × Religious Capital interactions on depressive symptomology. Higher religious capital was related to lower depressive symptomology among persons with low conscientiousness or low openness to experience. However, religious capital was less related to depressive symptoms among those with high conscientiousness or high openness. This study reinforces the importance of examining the moderating effects of personality and perceived religious capital in understanding mental health outcomes. This information can be of use to practitioners in designing culturally appropriate interventions, including the use of capital from faith-based organizations.

Social Integration and Health Insurance Status Among African American Men and Women

Using 2010 national data, we investigate the relationship between social integration and health insurance for African American adults. During the previous year 21.6% of men and 19.8% of women lacked continuous health insurance. The effect of marital status, income, and employment on insurance coverage differed by age and gender. Additionally, frequency of church attendance was positively associated with continuous health insurance for women aged 51–64. Spiritual/religious identity was marginally associated with insurance status for men aged 36–50. As provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect, implementation programs should expand enrollment efforts to include the conjugal unit and the church.

Personality, Social Capital, and Depressive Symptomatology Among African Americans:

The present study examined the relationship between social capital and depressive symptoms and the moderating role of the Big Five personality constructs in a national sample of African American adults. Data were collected from a national probability sample of 803 African American men and women using a telephone survey including measures of the Big Five personality traits, social capital, and depressive symptomatology. Most interestingly, there was evidence for Personality × Social Capital interactions on depressive symptoms. Higher social capital was related to lower depressive symptomology among persons with low conscientiousness, low extraversion, or high neuroticism. However, social capital was significantly but not as strongly related to depressive symptoms among those with high conscientiousness, high extraversion, or low neuroticism. This study reinforces the importance of personality traits when considering potential protective health effects of social capital in understanding depressive symptoms. This information may be useful to practitioners and community members in prevention and treatment.

The relationship between religious beliefs and behaviours and changes in Spiritual Health Locus of Control over time in a national sample of African-Americans

ABSTRACT Using data from a sample of African-Americans, the present study examined the role of religious beliefs and behaviours in predicting changes in Spiritual Health Locus of Control (SHLOC), or beliefs about the role that God plays in a person’s health. A national sample of African-American adults was recruited using a telephone survey and re-contacted 2.5 years later. Overall, results indicated that both higher religious beliefs and behaviours predicted increases in Active SHLOC, or the view that one collaboratively works with God to maintain one’s health. However, only religious behaviours predicted increases in Passive SHLOC, or the view that because God is in complete control of health that one’s own behaviours are unnecessary. Among men, religious beliefs predicted strengthening Active SHLOC beliefs, while religious behaviours predicted growing Passive SHLOC beliefs. Among women, religious behaviours predicted strengthening Active and Passive SHLOC beliefs.