Since the COVID pandemic, deaths from despair have been talked about a lot. A death from despair is defined as any death related to suicide, drugs or alcohol. A 2020 longitudinal study examined the association between religious attendance and death from despair, specifically among health professionals.
Researchers found that women who attended religious services regularly were 68% less likely to die from despair, while men's risk was decreased by 33% compared with those who never attend religious services. When researchers isolated the data for suicide alone, they found that women who attended religious services had a 75% decreased risk of suicide, while men who attended religious services had a 48% decreased risk of suicide.
To read the full study published in JAMA Psychiatry, click here.