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Religion and Health

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Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health

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Abstract

This chapter supports the view that religious following is a resource for the health and well-being of followers, although outcomes would vary by priority religious functions and moral codes of their faith tradition. In their diversities, religious teachings may have different moral-ethical codes of emphasis that oblige followers or allow them discretion in their health practices. The window of opportunity for followers’ discretionary health well-being practices may depend on the functions of religion emphasized by a faith community and associated moral-ethical codes. When followers perceive a confluence in religious belief supported by moral-ethical codes and public health programs, their adherence to public health guidelines may be strengthened. However, when followers perceive discordance between religious beliefs supported by moral-ethical codes and public health guidelines, they may experience distress in navigating these contradictions. Future research needs to explore how religious culture followers perceive and enact health well-being behaviors in narrow and wide discretion religions across faith traditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rehabilitation and Health Services, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA

    Elias Mpofu

  2. School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Elias Mpofu

  3. School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Elias Mpofu

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  1. Elias Mpofu
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Correspondence to Elias Mpofu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Pranee Liamputtong

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Mpofu, E. (2023). Religion and Health. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25110-8_136

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