Day 2: Religion and Health comprehensive exam
Please answer the following required question:
1. A well-known article by Jeff Levin is entitled “Religion and Health: Is there an association, is it Valid, and is it Causal?” highlights key questions and evidence within the religion and health literature. Please address these three basic questions, noting in detail empirical evidence concerning each of the three questions. Draw on a wide cross-section of research that has addressed such questions either directly or indirectly.
Please answer one of the following two questions:
2. Summarize the evidence surrounding the general relationship between religious involvement and physical health in the United States. What is the role of religion in physical health? What are the key pieces of evidence? How robust is this association across major population subgroups?
What are the main limitations of this body of work? What are the most important directions for future research?
3. Discuss the evidence surrounding the specific relationship between religious involvement and adult mortality risk in the United States. What is the role of religion in elderly life? What is the link between religious involvement and mortality? What is the evidence? What are the theoretical frameworks and empirical construction use in the literature? What are the main limitations of this body of work? What are the most important directions for future research?
Please answer one of the following two questions:
4. Several decades ago, scholars often employed Coleman’s theory of social capital to explain the role of religious congregations in promoting social capital among its members. Much research also addressed the role that ethnic/ immigrant congregations played in facilitating the assimilation process of its members to the mainstream society. Discuss the empirical evidence about research on religion, education, and migration.
5. Among social and behavioral scientists, there is a growing interest in the role of religion and the lives of adolescents. What is the role of religion in adolescent life? What is the link between religious involvement and health risk-taking behavior? What is the evidence? What are the theoretical frameworks and empirical construction use in the literature? What are the main limitations of this body of work? What are the most important directions for future research?
Please answer the following required question:
6. Although much of the religion-health research reports salutary relationships, investigators are increasingly aware of possible pathological effects, sometimes termed the “shadow side” of religion. Identify three (3) of the ways in which specific aspects of religion or spirituality may have negative health implications, and discuss the theoretical basis and empirical evidence for each.