Religiosity, religious coping styles, and health service use: racial differences among elderly women.

Full Abstract

This study explored racial differences in the effects of religiosity and religious coping styles on health service use. The sample (N = 274) consisted of a cross-section of women ages 55 and older living in publicly subsidized high-rise dwellings in Nashville, Tennessee (1999 to 2000) and included 159 White and 115 African American women. The results suggested the effects of religiosity on health service use are generally negative for both groups. However, the effects of religious coping styles on health service use differed by race. The self-directing coping style was associated with higher levels of use for White women, but with lower levels of use for African American women. The deferring coping style was associated with greater physician visits and inpatient days among White women, but with fewer inpatient days among African American women. The collaborative coping style was associated with higher inpatient days among African American women, but had no significant effect on use patterns for White women. Conducting assessments of religiosity and religious coping styles would enhance holistic nursing practice.

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Author information

Author/s: Ark, Pamela D (PD); Hull, Pamela C (PC); Husaini, Baqar A (BA); Craun, Clinton (C);

Affiliation: University of Central Florida, School of Nursing, Orlando 32816-2210, USA.

Grants: 1R24HS11640-01 (Agency:AHRQ HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of gerontological nursing (J Gerontol Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Aug; vol 32 (issue 8) : pp 20-9; quiz 30-1

Dates: Created 2006/08/18; Completed 2006/09/28; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16915743, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Psychological
African Americans - statistics & numerical data
Aged - psychology
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Health - ethnology
Cross-Cultural Comparison
Cross-Sectional Studies
European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data
Female
Health Services - utilization
Holistic Health

Humans
Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Nursing Methodology Research
Public Housing
Questionnaires
Regression Analysis
Religion and Psychology
Tennessee
Women - psychology

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