The intersection of religion and college attainment for mortality risk and mental health outcomes

A considerable amount of research demonstrates that individually, both religious involvement, particularly when measured by frequency of attendance at religious services, and educational attainment are associated with desirable mortality and mental health outcomes. Interestingly, until recently, research has not addressed how or if these factors work in concert to influence mortality and mental health outcomes. This neglect is curious, since both religious involvement and educational attainment individually impact mortality and mental health in many similar ways, including fostering better health behaviors and networks of social support. Despite the individual benefit of religious involvement and educational attainment, recent evidence suggests that individuals who are both highly educated and religiously involved experience higher mortality risk than those who are either or neither. It has been hypothesized that high levels of religious involvement may offset the health benefits of higher education by instilling a mistrust of science and reason, as well as a false sense that one’s health is protected by a divine other, or by isolating one from outside sources of information and ideas. The following dissertation relies on two large, nationally representative data sources for the purpose of determining if the joint influence of religious involvement and educational attainment impact mortality differently across age groups, when religion is measured by belief, and for mental health. Findings presented herein suggest that religious involvement and education work to negatively influence mortality risk in the late adult ages, and religious belief has no impact on mortality risk. Also presented herein is evidence to suggest that religion and education work in concert to benefit mental health. Following the presentation and discussion of these findings, study limitations and directions for future research are offered.