Explaining medical students’ perceptions about the impact of spiritual health on learning the course of endocrine physiology- a content analysis study

Background: Spiritual health has been considered for a long time. In this study, we aimed to explain medical students’ experiences of the relationship between spiritual health and the course of endocrine physiology. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on 20 Abadan University Medical Sciences medical students who had taken the course of endocrine physiology in the first semester of the academic year 2024. Through a semi-structured interview, four general questions were asked of the students regarding the impact of spiritual health and learning in the physiology course. This interview was analyzed using Graneheim qualitative analysis method. Results: By examining the interviews qualitatively, it was determined that the relationship between spiritual health and learning the physiology of endocrine glands in medical students had two main categories: 18 subcategories and 52 codes. The main categories included the effects of spiritual health on life, and spiritual health and learning in the physiology course. The subcategories included peace, satisfaction with life, patience and the ability to tolerate problems, motivation, joy and hope, a sense of security and strength, reducing stress and anxiety, purposefulness in life, growth and improvement, better problem-solving and decision-making, improving morality and reducing negative energy, mental and physical health, order in life, a desire to study more, improving lesson planning, increasing concentration and learning, increasing memory power, understanding the order of creation, physiology is a lesson in theology, and thinking about creation. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that spiritual health increases peace and satisfaction with life, hope, and joy, and reduces stress, anxiety, and negative energy. As a result, spiritual health increases concentration, memory power, and better learning of the course of endocrine physiology. Therefore, it is recommended that more attention be paid to the spiritual health of students in educational systems.