The Influence of Religious Attendance on Smoking

Abstract

Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship between religious attendance and lifetime smoking status among middle-aged adults (n = 666) sampled from waves three (1993 to 1996) and four (2004 to 2005) of the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study. Religious attendance once per week or greater as compared to never was inversely associated with smoking status. Future research should explore potential mediating factors of the association between religious attendance and smoking among middle-aged adults in order to gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Funding: NIMH grant DA026652; NIDA grant T32DA007292.

Keywords :

• religious attendance
• smoking
• tobacco
• baltimore ECA
• middle-aged
• urban