Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway

Background. The death of a family member is a stressful life event and can result in an increased level of depressive symptoms. Previous American research has shown inverse relationships between religious involvement and depression. European investigations are few and findings inconsistent; differen...

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Main Authors: Torgeir Sørensen, Lars J. Danbolt, Jostein Holmen, Harold G. Koenig, Lars Lien
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2012-01-01
Series:Depression Research and Treatment
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/396347
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spelling doaj-53450ed0b66d4728b435ab042fb12b0b2020-11-24T21:24:55ZengHindawi LimitedDepression Research and Treatment2090-13212090-133X2012-01-01201210.1155/2012/396347396347Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, NorwayTorgeir Sørensen0Lars J. Danbolt1Jostein Holmen2Harold G. Koenig3Lars Lien4MF Norwegian School of Theology, P.O. Box 5144, Majorstuen, 0302 Oslo, NorwayMF Norwegian School of Theology, P.O. Box 5144, Majorstuen, 0302 Oslo, NorwayHUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayDuke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USACentre for Psychology of Religion, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, NorwayBackground. The death of a family member is a stressful life event and can result in an increased level of depressive symptoms. Previous American research has shown inverse relationships between religious involvement and depression. European investigations are few and findings inconsistent; different contexts may have an important influence on findings. We therefore investigated the relationship between attendance at church/prayer house and depressive symptoms, and whether this relationship was moderated by the death of a close family member, in Norway. Methods. A population-based sample from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Norway (HUNT 3, N=37,981), was the population examined. Multiple regression and interaction tests were utilised. Results. Religious attendees had lower scores on depressive symptoms than non-attendees; death of a close family member moderated this relationship. The inverse relationships between attendance at church/prayer house and depressive symptoms were greater among those experiencing the death of an immediate family member in the last twelve months compared to those without such an experience, with men's decrease of depressive symptoms more pronounced than women's. Conclusion. In a population-based study in Norway, attendance at church/prayer house was associated with lower depressive symptoms, and the death of a close relative and gender moderated this relationship.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/396347
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Torgeir Sørensen
Lars J. Danbolt
Jostein Holmen
Harold G. Koenig
Lars Lien
spellingShingle Torgeir Sørensen
Lars J. Danbolt
Jostein Holmen
Harold G. Koenig
Lars Lien
Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
Depression Research and Treatment
author_facet Torgeir Sørensen
Lars J. Danbolt
Jostein Holmen
Harold G. Koenig
Lars Lien
author_sort Torgeir Sørensen
title Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
title_short Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
title_full Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
title_fullStr Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
title_full_unstemmed Does Death of a Family Member Moderate the Relationship between Religious Attendance and Depressive Symptoms? The HUNT Study, Norway
title_sort does death of a family member moderate the relationship between religious attendance and depressive symptoms? the hunt study, norway
publisher Hindawi Limited
series Depression Research and Treatment
issn 2090-1321
2090-133X
publishDate 2012-01-01
description Background. The death of a family member is a stressful life event and can result in an increased level of depressive symptoms. Previous American research has shown inverse relationships between religious involvement and depression. European investigations are few and findings inconsistent; different contexts may have an important influence on findings. We therefore investigated the relationship between attendance at church/prayer house and depressive symptoms, and whether this relationship was moderated by the death of a close family member, in Norway. Methods. A population-based sample from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Norway (HUNT 3, N=37,981), was the population examined. Multiple regression and interaction tests were utilised. Results. Religious attendees had lower scores on depressive symptoms than non-attendees; death of a close family member moderated this relationship. The inverse relationships between attendance at church/prayer house and depressive symptoms were greater among those experiencing the death of an immediate family member in the last twelve months compared to those without such an experience, with men's decrease of depressive symptoms more pronounced than women's. Conclusion. In a population-based study in Norway, attendance at church/prayer house was associated with lower depressive symptoms, and the death of a close relative and gender moderated this relationship.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/396347
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