A Survey on relationship between spiritual wellbeing and quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients

Spiritual wellbeing is one of the fundamental concepts in chronic disease in which creating meaning and purpose in life is considered as an important approach in promoting general health and quality of life. This study was aimed to explore the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and the quality of life among the patients of Iranian society of MS. This descriptive study on 236 patients between 20-57 years, member of the Iran's MS Society. Samples were selected in year 2008. Information through spiritual health and quality of life questionnaires were collected. Data analysis by independent t-test and Pearson correlation was performed. P-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Spiritual wellbeing score was average among selected patients (97.9%). There was a significant relationship between religious aspect of spiritual wellbeing and psychological aspect of quality of life and there was a significant relationship between spiritual existential aspect of well-being and the both physical and moral aspects of quality of life (p=0.04 and p≤0.0001 respectively). The results may intensify the necessity of strengthening of the spiritual health as a factor affecting quality of life in those patients. The key point in a country like Iran with intellectual, cultural and religious beliefs could be useful and necessary in designing care- therapies programs for such patients. [ZJRMS, 12(3):23-33]