Health, Religion, and the Great Recession in the United States

Abstract: This article examines health differentials among religious groups before and after the Great Recession of 2008–2009, separately for men and women, using data from the 2005 and 2011 Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Health differentials in overall and mental health were found before the Great Recession—conservative Protestant and unaffiliated women were more likely to report poor overall health and Jewish and unaffiliated men were more likely to report poor mental health, compared to their mainline Protestant counterparts. Notably, the recession had a significant negative effect on the overall health of men of all religious groups except Mormons. Interfaith marriages were associated with worse overall and mental health for women, but not for men. This is the first article to examine the religion–health relationship in the context of the Great Recession—characterized by economy-wide and prolonged periods of unemployment, job insecurity, and financial losses, which seem to have worsened health.

Key Words: Health, Religion, Great Recession, Gender

JEL Codes: Z12–Religion, I10–General Health, G01–Financial Crises