The Influence of Religiosity on Depression among Low-Income People with Diabetes

People with diabetes experience depression at a significantly higher rate than do their nondiabetic counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of multiple dimensions of religiosity on depression among a lower income population of people with diabetes. Using a cross-sectional design, the study focused on a combined clinical and community sample of people with diabetes from low-income neighborhoods. On the basis of previous studies and confirmatory factor analyses of study data, five distinct dimensions of religiosity emerged: religious belief, reading religious materials, prayer, religious attendance, and engaging others in religious discourse. Bivariate correlation and hierarchical linear regression revealed robust and inverse associations between four of the five dimensions of religiosity and level of depression. Prayer, religious reading, religious attendance, and religious belief proved protective against depressive symptoms. Although it correlated with the other measures of religiosity, engaging in religious discourse was not distinctly associated with levels of depression. The analyses suggest that religious resources increase psychological resiliency among those managing the chronic stress of diabetes. Pedagogical and practice implications are discussed.