How Does Age Matter in the Linkage between Religious Involvement and Adult Self-Rated Health?

Abstract

Through conducting an age, period, and cohort analysis by running cross-classified random effect models, this research studies how age plays a role in the religious involvement and health relationship. Data are drawn from the U.S. General Social Survey, 1972 to 2008. For the most part, the results show that after controlling for the cohort and period effects, there is a loss of advantages in health with age for those who are more involved in religion. This finding suggests that when the period and cohort effects are taken into consideration, the cumulative advantage theory may not be supported in this case.