Year: 1972 Source: Journal of Chronic Disease, v.25, (1972), p.665-672 SIEC No: 20060030

This study compared death rates for a 3-6 year period for 24,245 frequent church attenders & 30,603 infrequent attenders who participated in the Washington County (Maryland) study census in 1963. A higher relative risk of 2.1 was found for frequent attenders versus infrequent attenders for death by suicide. The broad range of effects that were found led to the conclusion that the relationship of church attendance to health is nonspecific rather than causal. (42 refs.)