Religion as a Cross-cultural Determinant of Depression in Elderly Europeans: Results from the EURODEP Collaboration

摘要: Background. The protective effects of religion against late life depression may depend on the broader sociocultural environment. This paper examines whether prevailing religious climate is related to cross-cultural differences in elderly Europeans. Methods. Two approaches were employed, using data from EURODEP collaboration. First, associations studied between church-attendance, denomination and at syndrome level for six study centres (five countries, N = 8398). Secondly, ecological computed by multi-level analysis national estimates climate, derived European Value Survey depressive symptoms, pooled dataset 13 (11 17739). Results. In first study, rates lower among regular church-attenders, most prominently Roman Catholics. second fewer symptoms found female generally Catholic, with high church-attendance. Higher levels male Protestant countries. Conclusions. Religious practice associated less Europeans, both individual level. practice, especially when it embedded within a traditional value-orientation, facilitate coping adversity later life.