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The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States (US) has disproportionately affected minority populations more than their white counterparts. A population that is often overlooked is the Asian American population, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. Despite having relatively favorable socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Asian Americans, specifically Southeast Asian individuals, face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and are considered a high cardiovascular disease risk group. In addition, most studies have aggregated Asian populations into one major racial group rather than analyzing the different ethnicities among the Asian categorization. While some studies suggest that the acculturation process has some degree of impact on cardiovascular health, there has not been a widely-used tool to measure or ascertain the totality of acculturation. Instead, multiple proxies have been used to measure acculturation, and prior studies have argued for more culturally-tailored acculturation proxies. This paper aims to assess the implications of different acculturation measures on cardiovascular health among Asian Americans, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. The following proxies were expanded on in this paper: English spoken at home, length of stay in the US, religiosity and spirituality, and admixed family structures. Previous studies showed that as the length of stay in the US increases, the burden of cardiovascular risk factors increases. However, the impact of English spoken at home, religiosity, and admixed family structure are still inconclusive given the extent of current studies. While most studies suggest that an increase in acculturation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is critical to note that acculturation is a multifaceted process. Therefore, more studies are necessary to appropriately examine the implications of various acculturation processes on cardiovascular risk factors in Asians, specifically Southeastern Asian individuals in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationship between religiosity, spirituality, and loneliness in the United States, using the 2018 General Social Survey to assess their interactions against a backdrop of declining traditional religious affiliation and a rise in "spiritual but not religious" identification. It examines religion and spirituality's capacity to counteract loneliness, a condition with significant health implications. The analysis uncovers complex relationships between aspects of religious life and loneliness, showing no mitigating role of spirituality when controlling for other factors, with complex and varied negative relationships of religious service attendance and self-rate religiosity to different aspects of loneliness. Yet, any potentially protective effect of religion varies, with minority religious groups reporting feelings of increased loneliness. These findings underscore religion and spirituality's nuanced roles in emotional well-being, indicating that their benefits (or not) against loneliness are complex, varied, and depend on the aspect of religion or loneliness observed, along with non-religious factors. The paper contributes to the literature on societal loneliness, changing religious and spiritual engagements, and highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to explore the role of religion and spirituality in understanding loneliness specifically, and personal and social well-being more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the results of a scoping review in which we examined the scientific literature (2010–2021) on faith-based organizations (FBOs) working within the field of poverty alleviation, focusing on the way studies define and use the term FBO. Fifty-two relevant studies were identified and included. Our research shows that the term FBOs is primarily used in American studies. Moreover, there is no broad consensus on the exact definition or meaning of the term nor on its scope. Because of this lack of consensus and the inherent shortcomings of the term, we suggest to replace the term FBO by the term "religion-based solidarity initiatives" (RSIs), We define RSIs as: "Initiatives that, from a religious inspiration, aim at organizing collective action for and/or providing support or services to people in vulnerable positions." These initiatives can range from small scale ad hoc initiatives till large scale formal organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on religion and its practice. This paper aims to examine how the pandemic affects religious activities, donations, and finances over time and across regions within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the USA. To address this question, we analyze survey data collected during the pandemic from 2963 churches in the USA by United Methodist Communications. Our analysis utilizes several quantitative techniques, including Z-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multinomial logistic regressions. The results indicate a decrease in church attendance over time, with a more pronounced effect observed in non-urban areas (suburban, small town, and rural). Similarly, while church donations and finances mitigate over time across churches, churches in urban areas experience a quicker rebound compared to those in non-urban areas. Lastly, we find that church attendance and donations positively affect finances. These findings hold important implications for churches in various regions, offering insights to develop strategies for navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on religious populism are on the rise. They are located within the three main theoretical approaches of populism: ideational, performative, and strategic. Building on these three components, this paper proposes a comprehensive analysis by creating an ideal type of the relations between religion and populism. To that effect, it utilizes the relational paradigm of populism from Pierre Ostiguy in conjunction with Ernest Laclau's concept of sedimented practices and applies a genealogical method to analyse why and how religion plays a role in populist politics. This combination emphasises the fluidity of the interactions between religion and populism, their contingency on contextualised political cultures as well as on the often neglected transnational forms of religion. It focuses on two aspects of this role that have been less discussed: 1) the religious actions toward the political establishment 2) the transnational dimension of the populist politics based on religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on exploring the differences in the importance of spiritual/religious beliefs and practices (SRBP) between Latinx parents who have children with emotional, physical, and cognitive disabilities. Previous research has focused on looking at individual disabilities, such as autism-comparison in differences in importance of SRBP among Latinx parents needs to be further explored. Data from 154 Latinx parents in the United States was collected from an online survey, and a multiple linear regression was used with several predictor groups. Results indicated statistical significance between parents who have children with emotional disabilities and the importance of SRBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) and its connection to abortion rights and religious freedom in the United States. The RFMA was passed in response to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion to the Dobbs v. Jackson case which revoked federal abortion rights and suggested the Supreme Court reevaluate similar decisions based on due process, like Obergefell which guaranteed the federal right to same-sex marriage. This article showcases how the passage of the RFMA is a masterclass in U.S. policymaking and discusses the implications of the RFMA as well as considerations should Obergefell go the way of Dobbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research centered on the socioemotional benefits of religion and religious congregations for young people has highlighted largely positive outcomes for both young people and religious congregations. However, fewer studies have explored whether transgender young people receive those same socioemotional benefits from being religiously affiliated. Using secondary quantitative data from the 2015 US Transgender Survey, this study examined the religious experiences of transgender young people (aged 18–24). The data indicate that individual demographics (e.g., race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation) affected the religious experiences of transgender young people, including leaving their congregations due to the fear of being rejected. More research is needed on the socioemotional benefits of religious affiliation for transgender young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central premise of the first demographic transition theory is that demographic change would occur more slowly in rural than urban areas. Few studies, however, have investigated whether rural areas remain holdouts during the second demographic transition. To address this gap, this study (1) examines trends among rural and urban families in Canada and the United States over a 30-year period and (2) determines whether compositional differences in demographic, socioeconomic, and religious factors explain current differences between rural and urban families. We find that rural Canadian women continue to have, on average, 0.6 more children than urban women. However, rural families do not trail behind urban families on any other indicator of family change. In fact, rural women in both countries are now significantly more likely to cohabit and roughly 10 percentage points more likely to have children outside of marriage than urban women. These differences are largely explained by lower levels of education and income among rural American women and fewer immigrants in rural Canada. Examining family change through a rural–urban lens fills important empirical gaps and yields novel insights into current debates on the fundamental causes of ongoing family change in high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined differences in reactions to climate change as a function of belief in God. We studied four samples, convenience samples of university students in the USA (n = 627) and in Poland (n = 628), a nationally representative sample of adults in Poland (n = 1154), and a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA (n = 1098). In each study we measured the distress people felt about climate change, belief in God, and left–right political orientation. These constructs were measured slightly differently across the studies. Regardless of how these constructs were measured, believers were less distressed by climate change than non-believers, and with only a few exceptions, these differences disappeared after covarying political orientation (left–right or liberal-conservative). Contrary to those who argue that there is something inherent in religious belief that predisposes people to deny or ignore climate change, the present results suggest that it is the (growing) confluence of faith and conservative political orientation that is responsible for the fact that some people of faith tend to deny climate change or actively oppose efforts to combat it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian nationalism has been linked to a variety of political and social outcomes in the contemporary United States, however little research has investigated factors that give rise to it. Most scholars examining Christian nationalism contend that it is unmoored from extant social institutions, and even oppositional to institutional Christianity. This claim is associated with earlier research arguing for the declining influence of denominations, and particularly mainline Protestantism. In contrast, social movement theory views Christian nationalism as an ideological outgrowth of religious organizations, structured by exclusivist religious beliefs, and reenforced through religious participation. Using data from the General Social Survey (GSS) this investigation examines how religious and political factors inform subscription to Christian nationalism and explores how religious and political commitments are connected. In general, the findings support the expectations of the social movement perspective. Christian nationalism is strongly predicted by ties to sectarian Protestantism, religious participation, and fundamentalist beliefs, and it is not embraced by secular and non-Christian Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The association between religiosity and secular mental health utilization is unclear. Evidence suggests that religious and spiritual leaders (R/S leaders) may be more trusted than secular mental health therapists (SMHTs) and are often the first point of contact for individuals with mental health problems who identify as religious. Methods: Generalized equation estimate (GEE) analyses were used to examine the association between religiosity and mental health seeking behaviours in 2,107 participants using t Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) data collected between 1995 and 2014. Results: The final model indicated that after adjusting for covariates, higher levels of baseline religious identification and baseline spirituality (assessed in 1995) predicted an increase in visits to R/S leaders from 1995 to 2014 by a factor of 1.08 (95% CI=1.01–1.16) and 1.89 (95% CI=1.56–2.28), respectively. Higher levels of baseline religious identification reduced SMHTs visits by a factor of 0.94 (95% CI=0.90–0.98), whereas higher levels of baseline spirituality increased SMHTs visits by a factor of 1.13 (95% CI=1.00–1.27) during the same timeframe. Conclusion: Higher levels of spirituality and religious identification increased the frequency over time of seeking mental health support from R/S leaders relative to SMHTs. Individuals with mental illness may seek support from religious resources, mental health professionals, or both, underscoring the importance of collaboration between R/S leaders and SMHTs. Mental health training for R/S leaders and collaboration with SMHTs may help alleviate mental health burden, especially among those who highly value their religious and spiritual beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on evaluating the quality of reporting in palliative and end-of-life care intervention studies regarding social characteristics like socioeconomic position, race, religion, and main language of participants. Topics include the findings that a significant proportion of studies do not report these characteristics adequately, with a tendency to use broad categories that may not capture the diversity of participants, hindering efforts to address inequalities in palliative care.

In the US, end-of-life health care (EOLHC) is often intensive and invasive, and at times may involve care that is inconsistent with patient values. US Muslims may not receive appropriate religious support, experience uncertainty around end-of-life decision-making, and under-utilize palliative and hospice care. As technological advancements and treatment options rise in EOLHC, Muslim American patients and their families need to understand more about the treatment options that are consistent with their beliefs. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a pilot mosque-based educational workshop focused on increasing Muslim Americans' religious bioethics knowledge about end-of-life healthcare. Intervention sites were four mosques with racially and ethnically diverse members, two in the Chicago metropolitan area and two in the Washington, D.C. area. Eligible participants were self-reported Muslims, aged 18 years or older, who were proficient in English. The intervention included a pre and post-test survey and a workshop focused on the Islamic bioethical perspectives on EOLHC. Knowledge was measured with six true-false questions. Baseline and post-intervention scores were analyzed by McNemar's test and bivariate correlation. Overall, the analysis showed a significant improvement in post-intervention participant knowledge. There was increased knowledge of Islamic bioethical views on the moral status of seeking healthcare, brain death controversies, and religious perspectives on withholding or withdrawing life support near the end of life. Our pilot intervention successfully increased participant knowledge and underscores the need to improve the Muslim community's knowledge about the bioethical dimensions of EOLHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to estimate a regression model that best predict symptoms of depression among Black Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. The sample (n = 3,570) was drawn from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study, a sub-study of the larger Adventist Health Study-2 consisting of a random sample (n = 10,998) of Adventists. The results of the study showed that poor sleep quality, hostility, stress, and perceived discrimination were all predictors of symptoms of depression, while religious involvement decreased the likelihood of experiencing those symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, numerous studies have linked the subjective experience of neighborhood disorder (perceptions of crime, dilapidation and ambient strains) with poorer health. We test whether religious struggles (religious doubts and feeling abandoned or punished by God) mediate this association. Our counterfactual mediation analyses of data from the 2021 Crime, Health, and Politics Survey (CHAPS) (n = 1741) revealed consistent indirect effects of neighborhood disorder through religious struggles for anger, psychological distress, sleep disturbance, poorer self-rated health, and shorter subjective life expectancy. This study contributes to previous work by integrating the study of neighborhood context and religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health conditions, including substance use disorders, are one of the most commonly occurring yet least commonly treated health ailments in the United States. Religious congregations serve as important providers of mental health services, as they can fill this gap with accessible care. This study provides an up-to-date accounting of mental health service provision by religious congregations, using a nationally representative survey of U.S. congregations collected in 2012 and 2018–19. Half of all congregations in the U.S. provided a program or service targeting mental illness or substance use disorder in 2018-19, and rates of provision increased among Christian congregations between 2012 and 2018–19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]