COLUMBUS, Ohio – A significant decline in religious participation among middle-aged, less educated white Americans may be contributing to the increase in “deaths of despair,” according to a new study. These deaths, which include drug overdoses, suicides, and alcoholic liver disease, have been on the rise in states where church attendance has fallen sharply from 1985 to 2000.
While the opioid crisis, particularly the introduction of OxyContin in the late 1990s, is often blamed for the surge in these deaths, this study indicates that the trend began earlier, coinciding with a drop in religious participation. Tamar Oostrom, co-author of the study and assistant professor of economics at The Ohio State University, emphasized, “What we see in this study is the beginning of the story, before opioids became a major issue, and it shows rises in deaths of despair were already beginning to happen when the opioid crisis hit.”
Religious Decline and Its Implications
Oostrom, along with Tyler Giles of Wellesley College and Daniel Hungerman of the University of Notre Dame, published their findings in the Journal of the European Economic Association. Utilizing data from the General Social Surveys and mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers identified a clear pattern: the decline in churchgoing was most pronounced among white, middle-aged Americans without a college degree—the same demographic experiencing a rise in mortality rates.
The study found that both men and women, in rural and urban areas, were affected by this trend. To further validate their findings, the researchers examined the impact of repealing “blue laws,” which had restricted business operations on Sundays, thereby encouraging church attendance.
The Role of Blue Laws
The repeal of blue laws in 1985 in states like Minnesota, South Carolina, and Texas provided a natural experiment. The study revealed that these repeals led to a 5- to 10-percentage-point drop in weekly church attendance, followed by an increase in deaths of despair in those states.
“OxyContin and the opioid crisis made a bad situation worse, but the deaths of despair were already on the rise,” Oostrom remarked.
Understanding the Social Impact
The decline in churchgoing appears to have broader social implications. Oostrom pointed out that when individuals stop attending church, they lose vital social connections, which are crucial for health. Interestingly, the study did not observe a similar decline in other forms of social activity during this period.
“Religion may provide some way of making sense of the world, some sense of identity in relation to others, that can’t easily be replaced by other forms of socialization,” Oostrom explained. Notably, the study found that belief in God remained stable; it was the identification with religion and church attendance that waned.
Potential Solutions and Challenges
The study raises the question of whether re-engaging with organized religion or secular community organizations could reverse these mortality trends. However, the authors caution that evidence on this front remains pessimistic. Oostrom noted, “There is no evidence that general declines in community participation are reversing. And the benefits of religious participation for life satisfaction are difficult to replicate with other forms of social engagement.”
Moreover, the rise of social media in the 21st century may further complicate efforts to restore these community ties. “People are less religious now, and there hasn’t been a substitute that provides what religion provided to many people. And our paper suggests this could have long-term impacts on health and mortality,” Oostrom said.
Looking Ahead
As the nation grapples with the ongoing opioid crisis and rising mortality rates, this study underscores the importance of understanding the social and cultural factors that contribute to these trends. While the decline in churchgoing is not the sole factor, it represents a significant piece of the puzzle. The challenge lies in finding alternative ways to foster community and connection in an increasingly secular society.
Future research may explore how other forms of social engagement can mitigate the effects of declining religious participation and whether new community structures can emerge to fill the void left by traditional religious institutions.
