Examining the Relationship between Spiritual Health, Depression, and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Study among Medical Sciences Students at Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Spiritual health is recognized as a fundamental component of overall well-being. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spiritual health and the prevalence of depression and anxiety among students.

A cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical design was employed, including 201 students at Jiroft, Iran, in 2023. Data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Paloutzian and Ellison Spiritual Health Questionnaire. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and tests for significance at a 0.05 level.

The mean spiritual health score among participants indicated a moderate level of spiritual health. The average depression and anxiety scores reflected no or minimal levels of these disorders among the students. Statistical analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between spiritual health and both anxiety (correlation coefficient = -0.246) and depression (correlation coefficient = -0.473). Higher spiritual health was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. Additionally, spiritual health was significantly higher among students aged 19–24, females, and those in academic semesters 4 to 7. Anxiety and depression were more prevalent among nursing students, those in later academic semesters, and students whose parents were retired or whose mothers had lower educational attainment.

The findings demonstrated that greater spiritual health is associated with reduced levels of depression and anxiety among medical students.

The results of this study underscore the potential protective role of spiritual well-being in mental health and highlight the importance of integrating spiritual health promotion into student support programs to enhance resilience against psychological distress.