Statewide Clergy Health Survey

Timeline

2008 - Ongoing

Project status: In Progress

 

 

Description

In an effort to better understand the demands and rewards of clergy life and their relationship to clergy wellbeing – with an eye toward informing interventions for improvement - the Duke Clergy Health Initiative has conducted a longitudinal survey of North Carolina’s United Methodist clergy every two years since 2008. 

The Statewide Clergy Health Survey, also called the Clergy Health Initiative Longitudinal Survey, is one of the most extensive surveys of clergy health ever conducted. Thanks to the tremendous response of United Methodist North Carolina clergy, this survey is recognized as a definitive source of information on clergy health, including mental and physical health and spiritual well-being.  

Well over 1,400 North Carolina UMC clergy with active appointments (or retired for fewer than four years) participated in the survey with each fielding: 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2021. The data helps us understand how certain ministry conditions affect holistic health over time. Because we invite the same clergy to take the survey across multiple waves – and over 1,350 clergy have participated in at least five waves - we are able to see patterns for individuals in a way other clergy data sources do not offer. As a result, our findings are more accurate and speak to changes in ministry – and society’s influences – over time. 

Clergy will be invited to lend their voices to this unique resource again in 2023 and 2025. 

Team

Members

Logan Tice, M.A., Research Manager

Jia Yao, M.A., Data Analyst

Glaucia Salgado, M.S., Study Coordinator 

Leaders

Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, Ph.D., Director

David Eagle, Ph.D., Co-Director

Sponsors

The Duke Endowment

Contact

Logan Tice

Related Content

Related Links

Related Projects

  • Spirited Life
    2009 - 2016
    This intervention - targeting symptoms of metabolic syndrome, depression, and stress in United Methodist clergy - showed remarkable physical health outcomes, but suggested a need for a focus on stress reduction, leading to the Selah interventions below.
  • The Selah Stress Reduction Intervention
    2019 - 2022
    SELAH practices were adapted specifically for clergy with the goal of reducing stress and anxiety symptoms while improving heart rate variability. Additionally, some of these practices enhanced spiritual well-being and alleviated depressive symptoms.
  • The Seminary to Early Ministry (SEM) Study
    2019 - Ongoing
    The SEM Study is the first major longitudinal study examining divinity school education. It aims to identify promising, data-informed policies that promote clergy well-being and spark informed conversations about how Christian ministry is changing.
Categories

Currently Recruiting, CHI