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Objectives: Dimensions of religion and spirituality are associated with better emotional, physical, and cognitive health. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms are not well known. We investigated the relationship between dimensions of religion and spirituality with levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of systematic inflammation, in middle-aged and older adults in the United States.Methods: In this descriptive longitudinal study using secondary data, we used proportional odds models of the generalized estimating equation (GEE) to assess the association between religious beliefs and values and religious service attendance with CRP levels from respondents (n = 2,385) aged 50 years and older in the Health and Retirement Study from 2006 to 2014.Results: Middle-aged to older adults who reported higher religious beliefs and values had lower levels of CRP, controlling for age, sex, education, marital status, race, household income, and health, such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and body mass index (BMI).Conclusion: Religious beliefs and values are associated with lower CRP levels among middle-aged and older adults in the U.S. This study adds to the understanding of biological processes underlying the relationship between dimensions of religion and spirituality with better cognitive and physical health, potentially through inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Flavorings in cigars increase their appeal, mask the harsh taste of tobacco, and may hinder successful cigar smoking cessation; however, limited evidence has examined whether flavors are associated with short- or long-term cigar smoking cessation. Aims and Methods Using restricted data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study Waves 1–5, we examined whether flavored cigar use was associated with 30-day-plus and 1-year-plus cigar smoking cessation among US adults. Multivariable discrete-time survival models were fit to a nationally representative sample of US adult (18+) respondents who had a current, established cigar use, smoked five or more days in the past 30 days, and did not exclusively smoke traditional premium cigars at baseline. Models adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, cigar and cigarette smoking intensity, and blunt use. Results At baseline, 44.6% of respondents (n = 674) were 18–34 years old, 75.0% were male, 56.7% were non-Hispanic White, 78.9% had household incomes of <$50,000, and 56.2% smoked flavored cigars. In fully adjusted models, flavored cigar use was associated with a lower risk of 30-day-plus (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.60, 0.97) but not 1-year-plus cigar smoking cessation (HR = 0.81, 95% = 0.62, 1.05). Conclusions We found that flavored cigar use was associated with a lower risk of short-term but not long-term cigar smoking cessation. More work is needed to understand the dynamics of cigar smoking transitions, including initiation, cessation, and relapse, particularly in larger cohorts and among those who exclusively use cigars or dual-use cigars and cigarettes. Implications As local and some state jurisdictions continue to adopt partial or complete bans of flavored cigar products and the United States Food and Drug Administration considers a national ban of all characterizing flavors in cigars, there is a need for more longitudinal work examining the associations between flavorings in cigars and short and long-term cigar-smoking behaviors, including but not limited to initiation, cessation, intensity of use, and relapse, particularly in diverse cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The association between religiosity and secular mental health utilization is unclear. Evidence suggests that religious and spiritual leaders (R/S leaders) may be more trusted than secular mental health therapists (SMHTs) and are often the first point of contact for individuals with mental health problems who identify as religious. Methods: Generalized equation estimate (GEE) analyses were used to examine the association between religiosity and mental health seeking behaviours in 2,107 participants using t Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) data collected between 1995 and 2014. Results: The final model indicated that after adjusting for covariates, higher levels of baseline religious identification and baseline spirituality (assessed in 1995) predicted an increase in visits to R/S leaders from 1995 to 2014 by a factor of 1.08 (95% CI=1.01–1.16) and 1.89 (95% CI=1.56–2.28), respectively. Higher levels of baseline religious identification reduced SMHTs visits by a factor of 0.94 (95% CI=0.90–0.98), whereas higher levels of baseline spirituality increased SMHTs visits by a factor of 1.13 (95% CI=1.00–1.27) during the same timeframe. Conclusion: Higher levels of spirituality and religious identification increased the frequency over time of seeking mental health support from R/S leaders relative to SMHTs. Individuals with mental illness may seek support from religious resources, mental health professionals, or both, underscoring the importance of collaboration between R/S leaders and SMHTs. Mental health training for R/S leaders and collaboration with SMHTs may help alleviate mental health burden, especially among those who highly value their religious and spiritual beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]