Religion

=== Health ===
{{Main|Religion and health}}

[[Mayo Clinic]] researchers examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality, and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life, and other health outcomes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mueller |first1=Paul S. |last2=Plevak |first2=David J. |last3=Rummans |first3=Teresa A. |title=Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice |url=https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)62799-7/fulltext |journal=Mayo Clinic Proceedings |access-date=11 January 2021 |pages=1225–1235 |language=English |doi=10.4065/76.12.1225 |date=1 December 2001 |volume=76 |issue=12 |pmid=11761504 |doi-access=free |archive-date=9 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809205018/https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2811%2962799-7/fulltext |url-status=live }}</ref> The authors reported that: "Most studies have shown that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills, and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) and less anxiety, depression, and suicide."<ref name="Religion and Medicine">{{cite journal |first1=Paul S. |last1=Mueller |first2=David J. |last2=Plevak |first3=Teresa A. |last3=Rummans |title=Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice |journal=Mayo Clinic Proceedings |volume=76 |issue=12 |pages=1225–1235 |url=https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)62799-7/pdf |quote=We reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life, and other health outcomes. We also reviewed articles that provided suggestions on how clinicians might assess and support the spiritual needs of patients. Most studies have shown that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills, and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) and less anxiety, depression, and suicide |access-date=13 November 2010 |doi=10.4065/76.12.1225 |pmid=11761504 |year=2001 |doi-access=free |archive-date=8 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108220203/https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)62799-7/pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The authors of a subsequent study concluded that the influence of religion on health is largely beneficial, based on a review of related literature.<ref>{{cite journal |last2=Hill |first2=Peter C. |title=The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Mental and Physical Health |journal=Current Directions in Psychological Science |date=February 2001 |first1=Kevin S. |last1=Seybold |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=21–24 |doi=10.1111/1467-8721.00106|s2cid=144109851 }}</ref> According to academic James W. Jones, several studies have discovered "positive correlations between religious belief and practice and mental and physical health and longevity."<ref>{{cite journal |title=Religion, Health, and the Psychology of Religion: How the Research on Religion and Health Helps Us Understand Religion |journal=Journal of Religion and Health |year=2004 |first=James W. |last=Jones |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=317–328 |doi=10.1007/s10943-004-4299-3 |s2cid=33669708 |url=https://dergipark.gov.tr/bilimname/issue/3501/47580 |access-date=16 February 2022 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302181542/http://dergipark.gov.tr/bilimname/issue/3501/47580 |url-status=live }}</ref>

An analysis of data from the 1998 US General Social Survey, whilst broadly confirming that religious activity was associated with better health and well-being, also suggested that the role of different dimensions of spirituality/religiosity in health is rather more complicated. The results suggested "that it may not be appropriate to generalize findings about the relationship between spirituality/religiosity and health from one form of spirituality/religiosity to another, across denominations, or to assume effects are uniform for men and women.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.11.008|pmid=16359765|title=Gender differences in religious practices, spiritual experiences and health: Results from the US General Social Survey|journal=Social Science & Medicine|volume=62|issue=11|pages=2848–2860|year=2006|last1=Maselko|first1=Joanna|author2-link=Laura Kubzansky|last2=Kubzansky|first2=Laura D.}}</ref>