Religia a zdrowie – o zależności między zaangażowaniem religijnym a funkcjonowaniem ciała w starszym wieku
Religion and Health – on the Relationship between the Level of Religiousness and Body Functioning in Older Age

Summary/Abstract: According to the research on the relationship between religiousness and health, religious involvement may have beneficial influence on individuals’ well-being, first of all serving as a potential source of religious coping responses. Due to their role in dealing with acute and day-to-day stressors religious resources can have a real impact on as well as physical health in older age. When it comes to physical health/functioning not only religious coping but also the role of religious norms in shaping healthy lifestyles and body practices is indicated as a potential mechanism of influence. This paper presents selected results of the research on the relationship between the level of religiousness and health/quality of life in older age. The sample population consisted of 367 randomly selected Roman Catholics aged 65 and over displaying various levels of religious involvement. Both religiousness and health were conceptualized as complex, multidimensional variables. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. In the statistical analyses Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and regression analysis were performed. Significant relationship were observed between some of the analyzed dimensions of religiousness and general health perception as well as physical functioning of older respondents. While in some of the observed cases health status influenced the level of religious involvement (eg. the frequency of public religious practices) and not vice versa, in the other cases the direction of the relationship is not as clear and can be explained in the light of the theories and mechanisms described in detail in the introduction to the presented paper.

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