ABSTRACT

Religious practice is connected with the widely understood concept of health and wellbeing, especially in older age. Recognizing that spirituality may constitute one dimension of quality of life led to changes in how individual religiosity is approached in gerontological research. Special for Polish religiosity in older age is a high level of religious practice – Poles consider the ritual aspects of religion to be a more significant aspect of religious identity than faith alone.

Central research question: The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between time devoted to religious practice and quality of life in a cohort of individuals aged 65 years.

Methodology: A random selection of 733 individuals resident in Kraków (421 women and 312 men) took part in this socio-medical study. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Quality of life was measured using the following scales: Life Satisfaction Index, Geriatric Depression Scale, Groningen Activity Restrain Scale, SF-36. Time devoted to religious practice was based on time spent on prayer and religious services throughout the week, including Sundays. Nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Jonckheere-Terpstra) were used for statistical analysis due to non-Gaussian distribution of the variables.

Main findings: Greater participation in religious practices influences psycho-social dimensions of quality of life in older age especially in terms of psychological health and functional status. Those who reported greater involvement in religious practice had bigger social network, led health-conscious lifestyle and experienced less stress in the relationships with partner, family and environment.