Religious and Spiritual Behaviors Correlated with Mental and Physical Well-Being Among American Muslims within the Twin Cities

Previous studies have demonstrated the significant association between religiosity and spirituality (R/S) with well-being. However, little is known if a similar association exists between the religiosity and mental well-being within Muslims in U.S.-based R/S health research, who remain comparatively underrepresented relative to Judeo-Christian samples. This study assesses whether these associations hold true in this population and if they can be explained by demographic factors alone. A total of 337 participants were enrolled from Muslim community centers in the Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota, metropolitan area (completion rate = 47.5%). Participants completed the Muslim Religiosity Scale (MRS) with intrinsic and behavioral subscales. They also completed physical and mental health questionnaires: Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile Questionnaire (HPLP II), General Anxiety Disorder 2 (GAD-2), and Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2). Associations were assessed using Spearman correlations and ordinary least squares regression. A statistically significant positive association was observed between MRS and HPLP Total Score (ρ = 0.35, p < .001). Lower MRS scores were associated with higher depressive symptoms (PHQ-2; ρ = - 0.28, p < .001) and higher anxiety symptoms (GAD-2; ρ = - 0.29, p < .001). Associations remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and income (p < .01). Associations were stronger for the behavioral MRS subscale (e.g., prayer and service attendance) than the intrinsic subscale. Generalizability may be limited by English-only administration and incomplete responses. This may overrepresent more English-proficient, more educated, and more health-engaged participants and bias estimates. This study may inform future efforts to improve cultural sensitivity, pastoral care, and patient-provider relationships in spiritually diverse populations.