Context: This study adds to the existing research on religion and health by focusing on the specific practice of prayer and its relationship to health outcomes.
Objectives: The purpose of this survey is to examine the relationship of frequency of prayer to 8 categories of physical and mental health.
Design: The Presbyterian Church, USA, performed data collection as part of an ongoing research program. Members of the Presbyterian Church were randomly selected from the national population and surveyed by mail on their frequency of prayer and their health status, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form 36 Health Survey.
Results: Self-reports of health indicated a high level of functioning overall for all 8 categories of physical and mental health. People who prayed more often scored lower in their physical functioning and their ability to carry out role activities, and higher in their reports of physical pain. However, people who prayed more often also had significantly higher mental health scores than did those who prayed less frequently, despite their physical health problems.
Conclusion: This study supports the relationship of a high frequency of prayer with a more positive mental health. Various explanations of the results are explored.