Ross A. Davis

Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2006

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Sociology and Rural Studies

Abstract

This study is an examination of the use of prayer for health reasons among Black Americans. The key issue entailed ascertaining what factors explain such use in context of an amended behavioral model of health care use. Secondary analysis was conducted on data pertaining to 4,271 Black respondents who participated in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Finding from statistical tests indicated the following: (1) The likelihood of whether they had their health prayed for by others; (2) the likelihood of whether Blacks had their health prayed for by others is weakly associated with their perceived health status followed by sex, age, income, and region; (3) the likelihood of whether Blacks had their health prayed for by others was not associated with educational attainment; and (4) 77.5 percent of cases were correctly predicted by the amended model based on logistic regression. This study contributes to sociological and public health literature by examining the use of prayer for health reasons as a consequence of social networks, particularly informal church support networks. It also contributes to such literature by shedding light on the use of prayer within the Black experience. This information should make future cross-race comparisons more well-grounded.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Prayer

African Americans -- Religious life

African Americans -- Health and hygiene

Health -- Religious aspects

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

86

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright