Cognitive function among religious and non-religious Europeans: A cross-national cohort study
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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Cognitive function among religious and non-religious Europeans: A cross-national cohort study. / Ahrenfeldt, Linda Juel; Stripp, Tobias Anker; Möller, Sören; Viftrup, Dorte Toudal; Nissen, Ricko Damberg; Hvidt, Niels Christian.
I: Aging & Mental Health, 28.09.2023, s. 1-9.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive function among religious and non-religious Europeans: A cross-national cohort study
AU - Ahrenfeldt, Linda Juel
AU - Stripp, Tobias Anker
AU - Möller, Sören
AU - Viftrup, Dorte Toudal
AU - Nissen, Ricko Damberg
AU - Hvidt, Niels Christian
PY - 2023/9/28
Y1 - 2023/9/28
N2 - Objectives: To examine the associations between several measures and categories of religiosity and cognitive function across sex and European regions. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study including 17,756 Europeans aged 50 and older who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe wave 1. Participants were followed for up to 15 years. Associations were analyzed using linear mixed effects models adjusted for several potential confounders. Results: Religious service attendance was consistently associated with better cognitive function (coefficient: 1.04, 95% CI 0.71; 1.37) across sex and European regions. Praying was also associated with better cognitive function but only among men (coefficient: 0.55, 95% CI 0.15; 0.96). However, individuals who received religious education from their parents had poorer cognitive function (coefficient: −0.59, 95% CI −0.93; −0.25). The association persisted in women and among both sexes in Western Europe. Comparing different religious categories to the non-religious, participants who were religious in childhood showed an inverse association with cognitive function, while persistently religious men exhibited better cognitive function. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that religious service attendance and, to a certain extent, prayer is associated with better cognitive function. However, receiving religious education in childhood may be linked to lower cognitive function.
AB - Objectives: To examine the associations between several measures and categories of religiosity and cognitive function across sex and European regions. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study including 17,756 Europeans aged 50 and older who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe wave 1. Participants were followed for up to 15 years. Associations were analyzed using linear mixed effects models adjusted for several potential confounders. Results: Religious service attendance was consistently associated with better cognitive function (coefficient: 1.04, 95% CI 0.71; 1.37) across sex and European regions. Praying was also associated with better cognitive function but only among men (coefficient: 0.55, 95% CI 0.15; 0.96). However, individuals who received religious education from their parents had poorer cognitive function (coefficient: −0.59, 95% CI −0.93; −0.25). The association persisted in women and among both sexes in Western Europe. Comparing different religious categories to the non-religious, participants who were religious in childhood showed an inverse association with cognitive function, while persistently religious men exhibited better cognitive function. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that religious service attendance and, to a certain extent, prayer is associated with better cognitive function. However, receiving religious education in childhood may be linked to lower cognitive function.
KW - Religiosity
KW - SHARE
KW - cognitive function
KW - praying
KW - religious education
KW - religious service attendance
KW - spirituality and health
U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2023.2260766
DO - 10.1080/13607863.2023.2260766
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37771160
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Aging & Mental Health
JF - Aging & Mental Health
SN - 1360-7863
ER -
ID: 394342203