PERCEIVED RELIGIOUSNESS IS PROTECTIVE FOR COLORECTAL-CANCER - DATA FROM THE MELBOURNE COLORECTAL-CANCER STUDY

The perceived or self-reported degree of 'religiousness' was obtained by interview from 715 colorectal cancer patients and 727 age/sex match ed community controls, as part of a large, comprehensive population-ba sed study of colorectal cancer incidence, aetiology and survival (The Melbourne Colorectal Cancer Study) conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Self-reported or perceived 'religiousness', as defined in the study, w as a statistically significant protective factor [relative risk (RR)=0 .70, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.6-0.9, P=0.002]. This statisticall y significant protection remained after the previously determined majo r risk factors found in the study, namely a family history of colorect al cancer, dietary risk factors, beer consumption, number of children and age at birth of the first child, were statistically corrected for (P=0.004). There was no association between Dukes' staging of the canc er and perceived degree of 'religiousness' (P=0.42). Although self-rep orted or perceived 'religiousness' was associated with a median surviv al time of 62 months compared with 52 months in those self-reporting a s being 'non-religious', this difference was not statistically signifi cant (P=0.64).