Religious Beliefs as a Mediator Between Conspiracy Beliefs and Health Behaviors

Religious beliefs play a significant role in shaping health-related behaviors and conspiracy theories. Typically, religious beliefs exhibit a favorable association with both health behavior and conspiracy theories, in contrast to the unfavorable relationship between health practices and conspiracy theories. This study investigated the mediating role of religious beliefs in the relationship between conspiracy theories and health-related behaviors. The study included 231 participants (161 females and 69 males). The Health Protection Behavior Scale, Religious Lifestyle Scale, and General Belief in Conspiracy Theories Scale were administered. Positive correlations were observed between the behavioral subdimension of the health-protective behavior scale and the belief, morality, and worship subdimensions of the religious commitment scale. Trust in health services was also associated with worship and morality. It was also revealed that morality fully mediated the relationship between beliefs in government conspiracies and health behavior. The findings were discussed within social context, given that the investigation was conducted in a non-Western and Muslim society.