Perception of child neglect and psychopathology in a population-based sample of US adults

Abstract

relationship between substance use and use disorders and religiosity. These studies are largely limited to adolescent or young adult populations in the United States and use proxies for religiosity that have not been validated. Only one study (to our knowledge) uses DSM-IV current diagnostic criteria for alcohol and drug abuse/dependence. No study explores DSM-IV current nicotine dependence. This study explores the relationship between religiosity and multiple substance-related outcomes in an adult Israeli sample using a clearly defined and understood religiosity construct. Methods: Household residents selected from the Israeli Population Registry (n = 1349) were interviewed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the association between religiosity and 2 types of outcomes: current substance use and current substance use disorders. Demographic covariates were controlled. Results: Self-reported level of religiosity was inversely related to current nicotine, alcohol, and drug use. Secular individuals were more likely than religious individuals to have current nicotine dependence (AOR = 1.92; CI, 1.15-3.21) and alcohol use disorders (AOR = 2.73; CI, 1.26-5.94). Among alcohol users, alcohol use disorders (AOR = 2.33; CI, 1.06-5.12) remained significantly associatedwith religiosity; however, this did not occur for nicotine or drugs. Conclusions: Theeffectof religiosityshouldbestudiedfurther tounderstand its associations with specific substances, especially among substance users, and withinvariouscultures andreligions.Additionally, clinicians shouldbeawareof the effect of religiosity when providing services to clients, as some studies of Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step groups have shown that spirituality is an important component of treatment. Limitations of the study design include data collection by self-report rather than by observation and cross-sectional data that reduce the ability to determine causal direction. Public Health Relevance: Understanding possible protective mechanisms of religiosity, such as social support, social acceptance and inclusion, and a relationship with a “higher authority,” could lead to greater understanding of the etiology of substance use disorders and, eventually, the development of public health policies and clinical interventions.