Journal article
Facets of Religion/Spirituality and Cognitive Health: Association Variations Across Gender and Race Among Older Adults
Religions (Basel, Switzerland ), Vol.16(9), 1204
09/19/2025
DOI: 10.3390/rel16091204
PMCID: PMC12806168
PMID: 41550584
Abstract
Religion and spirituality (R/S) may be associated with better cognitive health, yet most published studies have been conducted in primarily White populations without investigating association variations by gender and race. A cross-sectional analysis of 1041 community-dwelling diverse older adults from the Philadelphia Healthy Brain Aging (PHBA) cohort study was conducted using multiple regression analysis. We examined associations between facets of R/S and total cognitive scores and performed stratification analysis separately by gender and race to explore potential gender- and race-specific variations. Higher non-organizational R/S was associated with lower cognitive scores, while greater religious and spiritual coping was associated with higher cognitive scores, controlling for age, education, chronic conditions, race, and financial constraints. Across gender and race variations, non-organizational R/S was associated with lower cognitive scores in women alone, with no variations across race. Higher religious and spiritual coping was associated with higher cognitive scores in both Black and White women, but not men, while higher religious and spiritual healing was associated with lower cognitive scores in Black women only. Associations between religious and spiritual facets and cognitive health differ across gender and race; longitudinal studies are needed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Facets of Religion/Spirituality and Cognitive Health: Association Variations Across Gender and Race Among Older Adults
- Creators
- Katherine Carroll Britt - University of IowaAugustine Cassis Obeng Boateng - University of PennsylvaniaChinwe Nwadiogbu - University of PennsylvaniaSato Ashida - University of IowaDaniel Tranel - University of IowaRoland J. Thorpe - Johns Hopkins UniversityNabila Dahodwala - University of Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Religions (Basel, Switzerland ), Vol.16(9), 1204
- DOI
- 10.3390/rel16091204
- PMID
- 41550584
- PMCID
- PMC12806168
- NLM abbreviation
- Religions (Basel)
- ISSN
- 2077-1444
- eISSN
- 2077-1444
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Grant note
- NIH, NINRNIHNIA: K23AG034236, P3OAG031043 Parkinson CouncilUniversity of Pennsylvania Minority Aging Research for Community Health
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This was supported by the NIH, NINR [T32NR009356] for author [KB] and the NIH, NIA for K23AG034236 and P3OAG031043, The Parkinson Council, and the University of Pennsylvania Minority Aging Research for Community Health (MARCH) for author [ND]. Funding sources were not involved with the results of this study. The content is solely the authors' responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/19/2025
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Nursing; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984966544502771
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