OBJECTIVES
To examine the relationships of religious involvement and affiliation with health behavior and conditions.
METHODS
A survey (n = 3014) conducted for the Nashville REACH 2010 project included questions about religious affiliation and practice as well as health behaviors and conditions.
RESULTS
Bivariate analyses indicated negative associations between religious involvement and health, along with differences between religious affiliations/groups. This relationship changed, however, after controlling for demographic differences and individual differences in religious involvement.
CONCLUSIONS
Religious groups share not only beliefs, but also socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural similarities that must be taken into account in research examining religion and health.