Part B
Blay, S., Batista, a., Andreoli, a. & Gastal, F. (2008). The Relationship Between Religiosity and Tobacco, Alcohol Use, and Depression in an Elderly Community Population. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 16(11): 934-43.
These researchers set out to examine the effect that religious belief and overall religiosity among the elderly research subjects of the study had on their use of alcohol and tobacco as well as their rates and levels of depression. A series of random samples of individuals sixty years of age or older in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil were interviewed to obtain data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, tobacco use, alcohol abuse and dependence, depression, certain other lifestyle and health characteristics,...
After controlling for other factors, religion was found to have a negative correlation with tobacco use, while not having a religious affiliation was associated with a greater tendency towards alcohol abuse as well as depression and increased tobacco use.
Cultural concepts were a key consideration in this research, and were explicitly addressed in interviews by questions dealing with cultural, ethnic, and religious background. Because this was a study that specifically looked at correlations between certain cultural elements and other health and behavioral aspects, cultural considerations were not controlled for but rather were analyzed. The interview approach made for direct and honest appraisal of these considerations.
