Youth Wellness Beyond Mental Health: A Multidimensional Survey in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand (2025)

Background: Youth wellness is a multidimensional construct shaped by physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial and environmental influences. In India, despite a favourable demographic dividend, youth wellness remains underexplored and mental health needs are often unmet. Objectives: To assess the multidimensional wellness among youth (15–26 years) in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 418 youth recruited from educational institutions using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the self-administered YUWA–JOSH (Youth Upliftment and Wellness through awareness Journey towards Optimism, Strength and Harmony) wellness questionnaire covering seven wellness domains. Categorical data is expressed in frequency and percentage, continuous data is described in mean(SD)/median(IQR). Results: Among 418 participants, 59.1% were female and 52.8% aged 15–19. Over half were low-income (58.6%) and 45.7% undergraduates. While 62% slept well and 50.5% exercised, 31.8% reported self-harm thoughts and 41.6% valued spiritual practice Conclusion: Youth wellness is influenced by a complex interaction of behavioural, social and economic factors. Interventions must adopt a holistic wellness framework integrating physical activity, social support, financial resilience and responsible digital engagement to strengthen youth wellness.