Religious Affiliation and Psychiatric Morbidity in Brazil: Higher Rates Among Evangelicals and Spiritists

Paulo Dalgalarrondo, Leticia Marín-León, Neury José Botega, Marilisa Berti De Azevedo Barros and Helenice Bosco de Oliveira
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Paulo Dalgalarrondo: Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil, pdalga@fcm.unicamp.br
Leticia Marín-León: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Neury José Botega: Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Marilisa Berti De Azevedo Barros: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Helenice Bosco de Oliveira: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2008, vol. 54, issue 6, 562-574

Abstract: Aims: To verify the association between the prevalence of mental symptoms and excessive alcohol intake with religious affiliation, church attendance and personal religiosity. Methods : A household survey of 515 adults randomly sampled included the WHO SUPRE-MISS questionnaire, SRQ-20 and AUDIT. Weighted prevalences were estimated and logistic analyses were performed. Results: Minor psychiatric morbidity was greater among Spiritists and Protestants/ Evangelicals than in Catholics and in the `no-religion' group. The latter had a greater frequency of abusive alcohol drinking pattern and Protestants/Evangelicals showed lower drinking patterns. Conclusions: Although belonging to Protestant/Evangelical churches in Brazil may inhibit alcohol involvement it seems to be associated to a higher frequency of depressive symptoms. Processes of seeking relief in new religious affiliations among sub-groups with previous minor psychiatric symptoms may probably occur in the Brazilian society.

Keywords: alcohol; Brazil; depression; mental health; religion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:54:y:2008:i:6:p:562-574

DOI: 10.1177/0020764008091439

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