RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT AND HEALTH-STATUS AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES

Previous studies document the importance of religious involvement in A frican-American communities. This study examines the extent to which r eligious involvement is associated with health status among African-Am erican males. The data come from a community sample of 537 males resid ing in a major US urban area. Three indicators of religious involvemen t were used: denominational affiliation, frequency of church attendanc e, and overall religiosity. Measures of health status included a self- assessment of physical health, depressive symptoms, self-reported hype rtension, cigarette smoking, and daily drinking of alcohol. The result s show significant associations between selected indicators of religio us involvement and measures of health status. Fewer depressive symptom s are associated with having a denominational affiliation, while no or low frequency of church attendance is associated with current smoking and daily drinking. Implications for health-related interventions wit h African-American males are discussed in light of these findings.