Koenig H G, George L K, Hays J C, Larson D B, Cohen H J, Blazer D G
Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, USA.
Int J Psychiatry Med. 1998;28(2):189-213. doi: 10.2190/75JM-J234-5JKN-4DQD.
To examine the relationship between religious activities and blood pressure in community-dwelling older adults.
Blood pressure and religious activities were assessed in a probability sample of 3,963 persons age sixty-five years or older participating in the Duke EPESE survey. Participants were asked if their doctor had ever informed them that they had high blood pressure and if they were currently taking medication for high blood pressure. After the interview, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured following a standardized protocol. Data were available for three waves of the survey (1986, 1989-90, and 1993-94). Analyses were stratified by age (65-74 vs. over 75) and by race (Whites vs. Blacks) and were controlled for age, race, gender, education, physical functioning, body mass index, and, in longitudinal analyses, blood pressure from the previous wave.
Cross-sectional analyses revealed small (1-4 mm Hg) but consistent differences in measured systolic and diastolic blood pressures between frequent (once/wk) and infrequent (< once/wk) religious service attenders. Lower blood pressures were also observed among those who frequently prayed or studied the Bible (daily or more often). Blood pressure differences were particularly notable in Black and younger elderly, in whom religious activity at one wave predicted blood pressures three years later. Among participants who both attended religious services and prayed or studied the Bible frequently, the likelihood of having a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher was 40 percent lower than found in participants who attended religious services infrequently and prayed or studied the Bible infrequently (OR 0.60, 95% CI, 0.48-0.75, p < .0001). Among participants told they had high blood pressure, religiously active persons were more likely to be taking their blood pressure medication; this could not, however, explain the differences in blood pressure observed. While most religious activity was associated with lower blood pressure, those who frequently watched religious TV or listened to religious radio actually had higher blood pressures.
Religiously active older adults tend to have lower blood pressures than those who are less active. This applies to attendance at religious services and private religious activities, but not to religious media. Physiological mechanisms are discussed.
研究社区居住的老年人宗教活动与血压之间的关系。
在参与杜克流行病学随访研究的3963名65岁及以上的概率样本中评估血压和宗教活动。询问参与者其医生是否曾告知他们患有高血压以及他们目前是否正在服用治疗高血压的药物。访谈后，按照标准化方案测量收缩压和舒张压。该调查有三轮数据（1986年、1989 - 1990年和1993 - 1994年）。分析按年龄（6５ - 74岁与75岁以上）和种族（白人对黑人）分层，并对年龄、种族、性别、教育程度、身体功能、体重指数进行控制，在纵向分析中，还对前一轮的血压进行控制。
横断面分析显示，经常（每周一次）和不经常（每周少于一次）参加宗教仪式的人在测量的收缩压和舒张压上存在小（1 - 4毫米汞柱）但一致的差异。在经常祈祷或研读圣经（每天或更频繁）的人中也观察到较低的血压。血压差异在黑人和较年轻的老年人中尤为显著，其中某一轮的宗教活动可预测三年后的血压。在既参加宗教仪式又经常祈祷或研读圣经的参与者中，舒张压达到或高于90毫米汞柱的可能性比不经常参加宗教仪式且不经常祈祷或研读圣经的参与者低40%（比值比0.60，95%可信区间，0.48 - 0.75，p <.0001）。在被告知患有高血压的参与者中，宗教活动活跃的人更有可能正在服用降压药；然而，这并不能解释所观察到的血压差异。虽然大多数宗教活动与较低的血压相关，但经常观看宗教电视节目或收听宗教广播的人实际上血压更高。
宗教活动活跃的老年人往往比活动较少的老年人血压更低。这适用于参加宗教仪式和私人宗教活动，但不适用于宗教媒体。文中讨论了生理机制。
