US religious congregations and the sponsorship of health-related programs

Jenny Trinitapoli, Christopher G. Ellison and Jason D. Boardman

Social Science & Medicine, 2009, vol. 68, issue 12, 2231-2239

Abstract: Despite consistent evidence that religious congregations provide health-related programs for their members and residents of the local community, little is known about the distribution of congregation-based health programs across the United States. Using a nationally representative sample of US congregations (n = 1230) we employ bivariate analysis and logistic regression to identify patterns in the sponsorship of health-related programs by religious congregations; we then propose and test various explanations for these observed patterns. Our findings contradict the impressions given by case studies and the program evaluation literature and suggest: a) that congregation-based health programs may not be serving the neediest communities; and b) that congregations are not taking advantage of mechanisms intended to facilitate the provision of health-related services by religious congregations.

Keywords: USA; Religion; Congregations; Healthcare; programs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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