A growing number of studies indicate that religion exerts a beneficial effect on health and well-being in late life. Moreover, this literature reveals that the salubrious effects of religion may be especially evident in racial minority groups. However, virtually all of this work has been conducted with older African Americans. Much less is known about the relationship between religion and health among older Mexican Americans. Part of the reason for this oversight arises from the fact that no one has developed a comprehensive set of religion indicators that are designed specifically for use with older Mexican Americans. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature. In particular, the proposed research has the following objectives: 1.To conduct a series of qualitative studies (e.g., in-depth interviews and cognitive interviews) in order to identify the content domain of religion as it is lived by older Mexican Americans;2. To use the data obtained from these qualitative methods to craft closed-ended survey items on religion;3. To conduct a nationally-representative survey of older Mexican Americans in order to quantitatively evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the newly devised religion measures;4. To merge the quantitative data with a comparable nationwide survey that has already been conducted by the Principal Investigator to assess the relationship between religion and health in older Whites and older African Americans;and 5. To compare and contrast race differences in religiousness as well as race differences in the relationship between religion and health among older Whites, older Blacks, and older Mexican Americans.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG026259-04
Application #
7797520
Study Section
Social Psychology, Personality and Interpersonal Processes Study Section (SPIP)
Program Officer
Spotts, Erica L
Project Start
2007-03-01
Project End
2012-02-28
Budget Start
2010-03-15
Budget End
2012-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$560,315
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Hayward, R David; Krause, Neal (2016) Classes of Individual Growth Trajectories of Religious Coping in Older Adulthood: Patterns and Predictors. Res Aging 38:554-79
Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David (2014) Trust-based prayer expectancies and health among older Mexican Americans. J Relig Health 53:591-603
Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David (2013) Measuring Communities of Faith: A Preliminary Investigation. J Relig Spiritual Aging 25:258-276
Torges, Cynthia; Ingersoll-Dayton, Berit; Krause, Neal (2013) Forgiving and feeling forgiven in late adulthood. Int J Aging Hum Dev 76:29-54
Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David (2012) Volunteer work in the church among older Mexican Americans. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 18:277-84
Krause, Neal (2012) Parental Religious Socialization Practices, Connectedness With Others, and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life. Int J Psychol Relig 22:135-154
Krause, Neal (2012) Feelings of Gratitude Toward God Among Older Whites, Older African Americans, and Older Mexican Americans. Res Aging 34:156-173
Krause, Neal; Bastida, Elena (2012) Contact with the dead, religion, and death anxiety among older Mexican Americans. Death Stud 36:932-48
Krause, Neal; Bastida, Elena (2012) Religion and health among older Mexican Americans: exploring the influence of making mandas. J Relig Health 51:812-24
Krause, Neal (2012) Valuing the life experience of old adults and change in depressive symptoms: exploring an overlooked benefit of involvement in religion. J Aging Health 24:227-49

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