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Religious Participation and Mortality Risk Among the Oldest Old in China

Department of Sociology, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Address correspondence to Wei Zhang, Department of Sociology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2424 Maile Way, Saunders 204, Honolulu, HI 96822. E-mail: weizhang{at}hawaii.edu

Objectives. Rapid population aging in China calls for more research into social factors responsible for health and well-being among older adults. This article adds to this line of inquiry by examining the relationship between religious participation and mortality, as well as the potential pathways linking these factors and subgroup variations among oldest old Chinese.

Methods. Using two waves (1998 and 2000) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, I estimated Cox proportional hazards models for a nationwide sample of Chinese aged 80 to 105.

Results. Controlling for a wide range of covariates, I found religious participation to be significantly associated with lower risk of mortality for oldest old women and for individuals in poor health. Engaging in leisure activities and exercises partially accounted for this association.

Discussion. Findings suggest that (a) religious participation, associated with other socially integrated and cognitively stimulating activities, predicts mortality risk among oldest old Chinese; and (b) religious participation offers psychosocial resources that are likely to compensate for the increased mortality risk associated with disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions of certain vulnerable groups such as women and individuals in poor health.

Key Words: Religious participation • Mortality • Oldest old • China