ANN ARBOR—A new, comprehensive study of nearly 20 years of research shows conclusively that for African Americans, religion is the greatest determinant of personal assessments of the quality of life and overall health.

University of Michigan researchers Robert Joseph Taylor and Linda Chatters, and scientist and author Jeff Levin, released these findings in a book—a first of its kind to empirically document the range, patterns, functions and consequences of religious involvement for representative samples of the population. They spent nearly 20 years tapping into data about religion and African Americans from various researchers.

“Both individually and collectively, religious African Americans and Black churches have been a force for good in the lives of people as expressed in individual-level indicators (lower rates of depressive symptoms in churchgoers) and in population-level indicators (mortality and morbidity profiles) of health and well-being,” said Chatters, an associate professor in the U-M School of Public Health and School of Social Work, where Taylor is a professor and associate dean for research.

The book, “Religion in the Lives of African Americans: Social, Psychological and Health Perspectives,” analyzes different forms of religious involvement, including formal religious participation and private devotional activities. The authors compiled empirical evidence from the social, behavioral and health sciences that examines the role of religion in coping with daily life problems and in providing spiritual and emotional comfort and tangible aid. Some major findings include:

• Religion is especially important for particular groups of African Americans such as women, the elderly and Southerners who demonstrate higher levels of religious activity than their counterparts.

• Some religious activities, such as praying and receiving support from church members and pastors, are indispensable in coping with major life problems such as declining health, relationship difficulties and life transitions.

• Clergy are instrumental in providing access to information, resources and people to help church members solve life problems.

• Harmful social interactions, such as gossiping and factional disputes, that occur within churches have a negative impact on social cohesion and interpersonal relationships.

Related links:

• Robert J. Taylor
• Linda M. Chatters
• Jeff Levin
• Religion in the Lives of African Americans
• E-mail: jwadley@umich.edu