Attending religious services can reduce mortality risk by approximately 20 percent, a new study from Yeshiva University has revealed.
The research team led by Eliezer Schnall, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of psychology at Yeshiva College of Yeshiva University analysed the religious practices of 92,395 women aged 50 to79, participating in the Women Health Initiative.
After examining the prospective association of religious affiliation, religious service attendance, and strength and comfort derived from religion with subsequent cardiovascular events and overall rates of mortality, the researchers found that those attending religious services showed a 20 pct decrease in death risk.
Interestingly, the protection against mortality provided by religion cannot be entirely explained by expected factors that include enhanced social support of friends or family, lifestyle choices and reduced smoking and alcohol consumption, said Dr. Schnall, who was lead author of the study.
There is something here that we dont quite understand. It is always possible that some unknown or unmeasured factors confounded these results, he added.
The participants answered questions about baseline health conditions and religiosity and were followed by WHI researchers for an average of 7.7 years, with potential study outcomes of cardiovascular events and mortality adjudicated by trained physicians.
The investigators concluded that although religious behaviour is associated with a reduction in death rates, the physical relationships leading to that effect are not yet understood and require further investigation.
The next step is to figure out how the effect of religiosity is translated into biological mechanisms that affect rates of survival, said Smoller.
However, we do not infer causation even from a prospective study, as that can only be done through a clinical trial, he added.
The findings are published in Psychology and Health.
(Source: Thaindian News / ANI)
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9 Responses
So, 20% of people who go to shul live forever?
VERY GOOD NEWS
why only 20% the Gemorah teaches us that in Bovel lots of Yiden lived longer, why in USA only20%, Maybe because here many Daven in late Minyonim, and 20% Daven early, dont make fun of this, think about it, its a Gevaldiga point.
It is very good news. But, as far as I see it, very difficult to get reliable variables that can give a scientific versus random outcome. Did they run this experiment on other religions? Just curious.
‘SHAREI DIMAH LO NINULU’, our tefillos are always heard!!!!!!!!!
#2 Obviously, those who daven early have “arichus yomim”…
Since they consider “going to shul” for women as a form of pious behavior, they should use a control group of women who are equally pious and equally fit, but don’t go to shul (common among Jews, an oxymoron for Christians for whom religion is focused on church rather than lifestyle). Otherwise, all they have proven is that people who are already physically unable to go to shul are more likely to die than those who are able to get up and walk to shul. The survey of this time was designed by goyim some years ago, and it is important to take into account cultural differences (shul going correlates with ability to walk, daven in a shul is not all that critical and many women rarely go to shul).
It seems to me that this is a study of women who attend general _religious services_, not specifically services at shul. Nowhere in the study does it say these women are Jewish and attending shul. The headline says this, but the study doesn’t.
Hashem protects us when we do his ratzon. Nothing is hidden or separated from Hashem. It is Hashems bracha that does this.
The study was done on WOMEN. How many women go to shul everyday? Once a week,maybe. The younger ones stay at home with their babies and the older ones are either already dead or disabled What about MEN? Many men go EVERYday and more than once a day. The companionship in Shul and just getting out of the house on a regular disciplined manner helps.