Examining the Relationship between Health Dimensions (Physical, Mental, and Social) and Spiritual and Religious Beliefs among Students

Background and Objectives: Spiritual and religious beliefs can help create a sense of meaning and purpose in life and improve overall human health. These beliefs play an important role in reducing physical and mental illnesses, lowering stress, anxiety, and depression, and enhancing social functioning and physical health. This study examines the relationship between health dimensions and these beliefs among students. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted cross-sectionally in 2024 with the participation of 531 students from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Stratified random sampling was used, and information was collected through standard questionnaires. The inclusion criteria were being enrolled in university and lacking any physical, mental, or social diseases. Four questionnaires were used to collect data: questionnaires on spiritual and religious beliefs, physical health, mental health, and social health. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24. Results: The results showed that 61.2% of the students were pursuing professional doctoral degrees. For each unit increase in the scores of physical, mental, and social health dimensions, the average score of spiritual and religious beliefs increased by 1.15, 1.35, and 1.42, respectively. Additionally, the average score of spiritual and religious beliefs of students with a medium economic family status was 1.11 units higher than those with a good economic family status (P=0.004). Conclusion: The study indicates a relationship between physical, mental, and social health and spiritual and religious beliefs. These findings highlight the importance of considering spiritual and religious beliefs in educational programs to help improve the overall health of students.