Koenig,2012-Religion Spirituality and Health The Research and Clinical Implications

This paper provides a concise but comprehensive review of research on religion/spirituality (R/S) and both mental health and
physical health. It is based on a systematic review of original data-based quantitative research published in peer-reviewed journals
between 1872 and 2010, including a few seminal articles published since 2010. First, I provide a brief historical background to
set the stage. Then I review research on R/S and mental health, examining relationships with both positive and negative mental
health outcomes, where positive outcomes include well-being, happiness, hope, optimism, and gratefulness, and negative outcomes
involve depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, substance abuse, delinquency/crime, marital instability, and personality traits
(positive and negative). I then explain how and why R/S might influence mental health. Next, I review research on R/S and health
behaviors such as physical activity, cigarette smoking, diet, and sexual practices, followed by a review of relationships between
R/S and heart disease, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, immune functions, endocrine
functions, cancer, overall mortality, physical disability, pain, and somatic symptoms. I then present a theoretical model explaining
how R/S might influence physical health. Finally, I discuss what health professionals should do in light of these research findings
and make recommendations in this regard.