The Association between Spiritual Health and Health Related Quality of Life in Tehrani Adults

Existing evidence indicated the association between spiritual health and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with chronic diseases. The current study is among the first conducted to investigate the association between spiritual health and HRQoL in a general population of Tehranian adult, using the structural equation model method.

The current cross-sectional study was conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). Participants were adults ≥20 years who participated in the TLGS during 2014-2016 and completed the spiritual health inventory in Muslim adults (SHIMA) and the Iranian version of Short-Form 12Item Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2). Structural equation modeling was used to assess associations between socio-demographic factors, spiritual health and HRQoL.

The spiritual health questionnaire was completed by 1595 adults (56.2% female) with a mean age of 41.3±12.5 years. Of the total study population, 361(22.6%) were single and 657 (41.2%) had academic education. Mean total and subscale scores of spiritual health were significantly higher in women compared to men (p<0.05). In addition, mean HRQoL subscale scores were significantly higher in men compared to women (p<0.001). Fit indices of tested conceptual model for men and women were acceptable. Cognitive/ emotional dimension has a significant direct association with the mental dimension of HRQoL in both men (β=0.37, p<0.05) and women (β=0.21, p<0.05). Ethical Considerations: All participants signed informed consent form befor data collection.

The current study indicated a structural model of association between spiritual health and HRQoL in Tehranian men and women, which can be used in future interventions with the aim of improving HRQoL in adults. To generalize these findings, further investigations in other urban and rural Iranian populations is recommended.