US Religious Congregations’ Programming to Support Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study

Religious congregations may be well equipped to address veterans’ reintegration needs, but little is known about the prevalence and nature of such support. We conducted a mixed methods study using nationally representative congregational survey data and in-depth interviews with congregational leader...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health
Authors: Derose, Kathryn Pitkin (Author) ; Haas, Anna (Author)
Contributors: Werber, Laura (Other)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer Science + Business Media B. V. [2016]
In: Journal of religion and health
Further subjects:B Pastoral Care
B Religious congregations
B Veterans
B Social Services
B Mental Health
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:Religious congregations may be well equipped to address veterans’ reintegration needs, but little is known about the prevalence and nature of such support. We conducted a mixed methods study using nationally representative congregational survey data and in-depth interviews with congregational leaders. Overall, 28 % of congregations nationally reported having programming to support veterans and positive, independent predictors included: community context (county veteran presence, high-poverty census tract, rural compared to urban location); congregational resources (more adult attendees, having a paid employee that spent time on service programs); and external engagement (assessing community needs, collaboration, and social service participation). Qualitative interviews revealed a range of activities, including attending to spiritual issues, supporting mental, physical and social well-being, and addressing vocational, legal, financial, and material needs.
ISSN:1573-6571
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of religion and health
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s10943-015-0132-4