Religiosity & mental health seeking behaviors among US adults

Objectives The association between religiosity and secular mental health utilization is unclear. Evidence suggests that religious and spiritual leaders (R/S leaders) may be more trusted than secular mental health therapists (SMHTs) and are often the first point of contact for individuals with mental health problems who identify as religious. Methods A generalized equation estimate (GEE) analysis was performed to examine the association between religiosity and mental health seeking behaviors in 2107 participants using the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) data from 1995 to 2014. Results Results from the final model indicated that after adjusting for covariates, higher levels of baseline religious identification and baseline spirituality (assessed in 1995) predicted an increase in visits to R/S leaders from 1995-2014 by a factor of 1.08 [95% CI, 1.01, 1.16] and 1.89 [95% CI, 1.56, 2.28], respectively. Higher levels of baseline religious identification reduced SMHTs visits by a factor of .94 [.90, .98], whereas higher levels of baseline spirituality increased SMHTs visits by a factor of 1.13 [95% CI, 1.00, 1.27] during the same timeframe. Conclusion Higher levels of spirituality and religious identification increased the frequency over time of seeking mental health support from R/S leaders relative to SMHTs. Individuals with mental illness may seek support from religious resources, mental health professionals, or both, underscoring the importance of collaboration between R/S leaders and SMHTs. Mental health training for R/S leaders and collaboration with SMHTs may help alleviate mental health burden, especially among those who highly value their religious and spiritual beliefs.