Relationship of depression and praying in Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Depression is a common mood disorder in most societies and its prevalence is reported to be up to 61% among students. On the other hand, it has been revealed that meeting the psychological and emotional needs lies in spirituality and religion. Thus, the present study was accomplished to determine the relationship between depression and praying in Birjand University of Medical Sciences. In 2008 this descriptive-analytical study was done on 400 students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences which were selected quota randomly selected. A 3 part questionnaire containing personal information, the religious behavior related to praying and the trunks of Beck Depression test was used. The grading score in each section were assessed. To define the level of depression, a score of 0-15 was considered as asymptomatic depression, a score of 16-30 as a mild depression, 31-46 as moderate depression and 47-63 as severe depression. Data were analyzed via SPSS software and descriptive statistics Chi square test and Pearson correlation coefficient (P<0.05). 87% of students cared praying, 73 percent of praying was due to parents` emphasis and 85 percent of prayers considered the environment as important factor. 91 percent had family members and parents prayers. 48 percent prayed in early time and 53 percent of them preferred in groups’ prayers. 84 percent of students were bound to compulsory religious articles and 47 percent to recommended ones before and after the prayer. 79 percent started to pray in canonical ages. 83 percent believed that they achieve mental and emotional calm. 62 persons performed and said suffrages after praying. Only 31 percent of the students believed in health benefits and secrets of ablution and 89 percent knew learning and teaching the policy and benefits of prayer and ablution necessary. 55 percent of the students were asymptomatic due to Beck depression test. 21 percent have mild depression; 16 percent moderate depression and 8 percent had severe depression. There was an inverse correlation of 0.49 between the students average mean depression scores and the grades for questions of religious beliefs and saying prayers. The authorities of holding prayers in universalities and faculty members participating along with students can relieve mood and emotional problems and help students to gain knowledge in addition to novelty Culture and Practices of God and compulsory religious timely, and increase the effective education with training.