Table 3.

Main characteristics of the longitudinal studies that investigated the association between religious/spiritual activities and mental health.

References	Time of follow-up (years)	Study design	Country	Sample	Sample Size	Mean Age	Religious parameter	Assessment tool	Mental health parameter	Assessment Tool
Jung (162)	3	Longitudinal	USA	Community-dwelling older adults	936	65+	Secure attachment to God	Self-developed scale	Death anxiety	Self-developed scale
Roh et al. (163)	3	Longitudinal	Korea	Community-dwelling older adults	6,647	69.8	Religiosity	Self-developed scale	Depressive Symptoms	GDS-15
Hui Chuan (164)	5	Longitudinal	Taiwan	Community-dwelling older adults	3,537	60+	(a) Religious orientation; (b) Religious activities; (c) Religious coping	Self-developed scales	Depressive Symptoms	CES-D
Ysseldyk et al. (92)	7	Longitudinal	England	Community-dwelling older adults	7,021	70.9	Religious identity	Self-developed scale	Mental Health	Self-developed scale
Sun et al. (165)	4	Longitudinal	USA	Community-dwelling older adults	1,000	75.0	Religiosity	DUREL	Depressive Symptoms	GDS
Law and Sbarra (166)	8	Longitudinal	Australia	Community-dwelling older adults	791	75.6	Church attendance	Self-developed scale	Depressive Symptoms	CESD
Norton et al. (167)	3	Longitudinal	USA	Community-dwelling older adults	2,989	73.8	Church Attendance	Self-developed scale	Depressive Symptoms	NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule
Kivelä et al. (168)	5	Longitudinal	Finland	Community-dwelling older adults	679	68.3	Religious Participation	Self-developed scale	Depressive Symptoms	Self-Developed scale

CESD, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression; GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale; NIMH, National Institute of Mental Health; USA, United States of America.