Chicago, USA - Two studies released Wednesday are adding to the growing body of research that religion is good for your health.
A study of 68 Alzheimer's disease patients found that going to church and other religious activities slowed cognitive declines, Canadian researchers reported at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
And University of Chicago researchers reported that African Americans who strongly believe in God were less likely to be depressed than nonbelievers.
U. of C. psychologist John Cacioppo said belief in God appears to help African Americans overcome the alienation they feel as a result of racial discrimination.
Among whites, who are less likely to suffer discrimination, belief in God did not decrease depression.
'Powerful coping behavior'
Religion helps provide a sense of hope, peace and well-being, which in turn can reduce health-damaging stress hormones, said Dr. Harold G. Koenig of Duke University's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.
"It's a very powerful coping behavior," he said.
Previous research has shown that religion provides a wide range of health benefits. Here, for example, is a sampling of what Duke researchers have found:
*Among elderly adults who were followed for six years, those who attended religious services at least once a week were less likely to die than those who attended infrequently or not at all. "This effect on survival was equivalent to that of not smoking cigarettes vs. smoking," the researchers reported.
*Engaging in most religious activities was linked to having lower blood pressure. There were two exceptions: People who watched or listened to religious TV and radio programs tended to have higher blood pressure.
*Among elderly patients, those who attended church at least once a week spent less time in the hospital and had healthier immune systems.
*Among adults of all ages, people who prayed or studied the Bible at least several times a week were less likely than others to suffer alcoholism.
Skeptics say studies are flawed
However, a leading skeptic, Dr. Richard Sloan of Columbia University, has written that many studies on religion and health "contain significant methodological flaws that render their conclusions suspect."
Suggesting that religion is good for health could harm nonreligious patients who might believe their illness is due to their own moral failures, Sloan wrote.
But there's a growing awareness in the medical profession of the role spirituality plays in health. For example, two-thirds of the nation's 125 medical schools now include courses on spirituality and faith, up from just three schools in 1992.
Some medical students are learning how to take patients' spiritual histories" along with their medical histories, according to the John Templeton Foundation, which funds research on spirituality and health.
The foundation recently awarded the U. of C. $1.8 million to study the topic. Researchers plan to study the relationship between believing in God and heart health and whether having religious beliefs reduces social conflicts, improves sleep and promotes healthy aging.
Researchers also plan to study how prayer affects brain activity. Devout young adults -- perhaps nuns -- will be asked to pray while undergoing an MRI brain scan.