Rodney Hayward, Neal Krause, and colleagues found that people holding religious beliefs that externalize health control – belief in miraculous healing or in divine responsibility for health outcomes – had worse health outcomes than others. The belief that health is in God’s hands may contribute to a sense of fatalism about personal health efforts, which contributes to worse health, but it is also linked to greater satisfaction with life. The authors say: “Religious beliefs emphasizing divine control over health may have negative consequences for health outcomes, although the same beliefs may contribute to a better sense of life satisfaction.”

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