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Change in Religious Affiliation in Middle Aged and Older Adults in Ireland. What are the Implications for Health?

Background

The 2016 Irish census reported that the Catholic population has declined in the past five years, with a corresponding increase in the number of non-religious. Older populations are more likely to be religious and some evidence suggests that religious involvement can provide resources conducive to health and wellbeing. This study aimed to determine if changes in religious affiliation affected health and wellbeing in the older population in Ireland.

Methods

We analysed data from Wave 3 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a stratified probability cohort of adults over 50 resident in Ireland (n = 6,566). Change in religious affiliation was estimated using a recall measure of religious affiliation 20 years previous to interview (historic affiliation). Multivariate models were used to determine whether religious affiliation change was associated with depressive symptoms and self-reported health, adjusting for sex, age, health, education and marital status.

Results

Overall, the majority of the population identified as Catholic, with little change in percentage of Catholics between historic affiliation and Wave 3 affiliation (89% and 87% respectively). Only 3% of the sample changed affiliation between Wave 3 and 20 years previous; 1.3% changed from Catholic to non-religious and 0.5% changed from Catholic to another religion. A change of affiliation was more likely in younger, male, university educated, and separated or divorced respondents. Change in affiliation was associated with higher depressive symptoms at Wave 3 (Incidence Rate Ratio:1.23 95%CI:1.04–1.46), but was not associated with self-reported health (Odds Ratio:1.27 95%CI:0.81–2.00).

Conclusions

Religious affiliation remains stable in adults aged 50 and over in Ireland, and any change was more likely in middle aged adults than in older age groups. Disaffiliating or changing affiliations was associated with higher depressive symptoms, but not with self-reported health, providing evidence for a link between consistent religious involvement and good mental health.