Sacred Relief or Silent Strain? Religious Involvement and Stress-Related Inflammation Among Asian American Subgroups

Religious involvement is often linked to stress reduction, yet its effects on physiological health markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), remain unclear among Asian Americans. Using data from Add Health, this study examines the relationship between religious coping and CRP levels across Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and other/mixed Asian subgroups. Findings show no statistically significant association between religiosity and CRP in the full sample, though subgroup differences emerge. Filipino participants exhibit the highest CRP levels, with suggestive evidence that frequent religious coping correlates with lower inflammation. Korean participants who occasionally rely on religious coping show significantly higher CRP, raising questions about stress-related religious engagement. These findings emphasize the need for culturally sensitive stress-related health interventions that account for subgroup-specific stressors. Health policies should integrate religious and cultural factors alongside structural determinants of health to address disparities in stress-related inflammation among Asian Americans.