Religious involvement and health status among African-American males.

Previous studies document the importance of religious involvement in African-American communities. This study examines the extent to which religious involvement is associated with health status among African-American males. The data come from a community sample of 537 males residing in a major US urban area. Three indicators of religious involvement were used: denominational affiliation, frequency of church attendance, and overall religiosity. Measures of health status included a self-assessment of physical health, depressive symptoms, self-reported hypertension, cigarette smoking, and daily drinking of alcohol. The results show significant associations between selected indicators of religious involvement and measures of health status. Fewer depressive symptoms 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 with African-American males are discussed in light of these findings.