The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
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Am J Geriatr Psychiatry · Apr 2007
Religious beliefs and practices are associated with better mental health in family caregivers of patients with dementia: findings from the REACH study.
Providing care to a loved one with dementia and the death of that loved one are generally considered two of the most stressful human experiences. Each puts family caregivers at risk of psychologic morbidity. Although research has suggested that religious beliefs and practices are associated with better mental health, little is known about whether religion is associated with better mental health in family caregivers. Our objective, then, is to explore the relationship between religion and mental health in active and bereaved dementia caregivers. ⋯ Religious beliefs and practices, and religious attendance in particular, are associated with better mental health in family caregivers of persons with dementia.