ABSTRACT
Many scientists often assume that religious preference and involvement have little effect on physical health, or that, if such effects exist, few studies have addressed this issue. In actuality, there is a long tradition of empirical research on the interconnections of religion and physical health. Theoretical speculation as to the reasons for such a salutary effect of religious belief or involvement has been prominent in the writings of distinguished scholars and physicians past and present. Furthermore, the existence of such religion-health connections is a nearly universal feature within the cosmologies of religious traditions and is supported by empirical evidence from various scientific disciplines. This essay surveys religious factors in physical health, discussing why religious indicators should be significantly related to health status, critically reviewing key empirical evidence, offering explanations for such findings, and noting their implications for the prevention of illness.
