Health perception, depression and religious coping: results from a community of African Traditional Religion worshippers

This study evaluated religious coping's impact on health perception, behaviors, and depression among African Traditional Religion (ATR) adherents in Southeast Nigeria. Quantitative data were collected using Health Perception Questionnaires, CES-D scale, and Brief RCOPE scale through face-to-face interviews. Multivariate and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, controlling for demographic factors. Positive religious coping significantly moderated smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical exercise, while negative religious coping exacerbated smoking and drinking behaviors. Religious coping significantly predicted current health status, resistance/susceptibility, health outlook, sickness orientation, rejection of sick role, and attitudes toward medical consultation. Increased negative religious coping decreased resistance/susceptibility, health outlook, and sickness orientation while promoting negative attitudes toward doctors. Depression was moderated by positive religious coping, prior health, resistance/susceptibility, and health outlook but negatively influenced by smoking. Control variables did not predict depression among traditional worshippers. Physical exercise emerged as beneficial for reducing depression levels among ATR adherents.