Journal of Research on Religion and Health
Year:2018 | Volume:4 | Issue:2 |Papers Count:11

The population of the elderly in Iran already is 8 million and is rapidly increasing. Aging is a phenomenon with cultural, social, political, economic and religious dimensions. This phenomenon can be studied from various viewpoints, some of which are discussed here….

Background and Objective: Loneliness, which is a common problem among the elderly, severely affects their health. Spiritual health plays an important role in the degree and quality of loneliness among the seniors. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between spiritual health and loneliness among the elderly people in Karaj in 2016.Method: This cross-sectional study adopted a descriptive-analytical design. Through simple sampling method, 275 people who attended seniors’ care center in Karaj took part in the study. Standard questionnaires were used to assess the participants’ spiritual health and loneliness. All the collected data were codified. Measures of central tendency and dispersion and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. All ethical issues were observed and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: In total, 71% (n=196) of respondents were male, most of them (93%=256 participants) were married, 56% (n=154) were retired and 82% (226 respondents) had educational levels lower than Diploma. The mean and standard deviation of the participants’ spiritual health and loneliness respectively were 99.39±9.56 and 3.47±11.29. Furthermore, a significant, reverse relationship was detected between spiritual health and loneliness. That is, the elderly who enjoyed higher levels of spiritual health experienced lower degrees of loneliness (r=0.33, R2=10.89, p=0.001).Conclusion: The obtained results indicate that designing plans to promote spiritual health among the elderly can play a crucial role in reducing their loneliness. It is recommended that researchers conduct further studies on the elderly’s spiritual health.

Background and Objective: Aging and disability are two phenomena that occur in all human societies, and more than half of the world's elderly population are women, most of whom live in developing countries. Some studies have shown that spirituality plays a part in reducing the psychological problems and anxieties among the elderly. The goal of present study was to examine the effect of prayer and positive psychology group therapy on life meaning and death anxiety among elderly women with physical-motor disabilities who live in the nursing center of Tafresh.Method: This study adopted a quasi-experimental design including a pretest and a posttest as well as an experimental and a control group. Thirty elderly females with physical-motor disabilities were selected from the nursing center of Tafresh, Arak province in 2016. Data were collected by administering the meaning of life questionnaire (MLQ) and test anxiety of death (DAS) before and after the intervention. Analysis of covariance (ANVOCA) was used for data analysis. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the authors declared no conflict of interests.Results: Comparing the pretest and posttest conditions, significant differences were observed in the meaning of life and death anxiety overall mean scores of elderly women with physical-motor disabilities (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that mixed prayer and positive psychology group therapy increased the meaning of life and reduced death anxiety in elderly women.

Background and Objective: Aging is associated with a variety of challenges and tensions which could possibly affect life quality of older people. This study was conducted to examine the effect of spiritual–religious psychotherapy on enhancing quality of life and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression among the elderly.Method: The current study was a clinical trial including a treatment group which was exposed to spiritual-religious psychotherapy and a control group. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was adopted in the study, with the participants being randomly assigned to either of the groups. More specifically, the sample of the study consisted of 40 (men=29 and women=11) old people who were selected through random sampling method. Half of them (n=20) were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the rest were assigned to the control group (n=20). Participants in the experimental group received treatment of spiritual–religious psychotherapy for 12 sessions (each 90 minutes). Data collection instruments included Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Short-Form health survey questionnaire (SF-36). The data were analyzed through utilizing descriptive and inferential (analysis of covariance/ANVOCA) procedures. All ethical issues were observed in the study and the authors declared no conflict of interests.Results: The results showed that spiritual–religious psychotherapy has a significant effect on increasing life quality and reducing anxiety and depression in the elderly. The effect size of experimental group on life quality among physical and mental variables was 0.25 and 0.81, respectively. Further, 60 percent of changes in depression and 54 percent of anxiety were related to the spiritual–religious intervention.Conclusion: Elderly are facing several physical and emotional crises that lead to reduced quality of life and more psychological symptoms. At this stage of life, religious and spiritual strategies can improve the elderly’s mental health.

Background and Objective: Spirituality as the basis of beliefs is an important aspect of the life of the elderly and plays a vital role in providing and improving their psychological happiness and hardiness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of spirituality group therapy on happiness and hardiness in elderly women.Method: The research method was semi-experimental with pretest-posttest design with control group. The statistical population of study included all the elderly in Rasht in 2015. Using convenience sampling, 30 of them were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental group (15 participants) and control group (15 participants). The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of spirituality group therapy program which was in line with Richards and Bergin’s pattern. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and Ahvaz Psychological Hardiness Questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using multivariable co-variance test. All ethical issues were observed in the study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: The findings supported the effectiveness of spirituality group therapy on the elderly’s psychological happiness and hardiness. Indeed, the old women in the experimental group scored significantly higher in the happiness and hardiness posttest questionnaires compared to their counterparts in the control group (p<0.01).Conclusion: It can be concluded that spiritual group therapy has a significant impact on seniors’ happiness and hardiness. Thus, this method can be useful as a tool for increasing happiness and hardiness of the elderly.

Background and Objective: Considering the vital importance of the elderly’s well-being and the rapid growth of their populations, studying the role of various variables in the well-being of the elderly is necessary; therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between psychological well-being and religiosity and death anxiety in the elderly.Method: This research adopted a descriptive, correlational design. The statistical population of this study consisted of all elderly men in Kermanshah's part-time elderly care centers comprising 700 people in total. Out of this population, 200 individuals were selected by simple random sampling. The research instruments were Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (Ryff, 1989), Muslim Attitudes toward Religion (Wilde and Joseph, 1997), and Death Anxiety Inventory (Templer, 1970). Entry criteria included: 1) a score of 22 at the cognitive state test, 2) a minimum age of 60 years, 3) a minimum of junior high school education, 4) enough monthly earnings. People who did not have these conditions were excluded. Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression were used for data analysis. All ethical issues were observed in the study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: The findings showed that there was a significant, positive relationship between psychological well-being and religiosity (r=0.39, P<0.001) and a measurable, negative association between psychological well-being and death anxiety (r=-0.19, P<0.001). The results of stepwise regression analysis also showed that Islamic attitude, death anxiety, and Islamic rituals can significantly predict 22% of psychological well-being in elderly people (P<0.001).Conclusion: Overall, psychological well-being can be increased in the elderly through increasing attention to the role of religiosity in life and the application of strategies that reduce the anxiety of death.

Background and Objective: Given that, in the 21st century, the elderly population is rapidly rising, especially in developing countries, it is crucial to pay due attention to their physical and mental needs. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the predictive power of self-compassion, spirituality, and Islamic lifestyle on seniors’ loneliness.Method: A descriptive, correlational design was adopted in this research. The study population consisted of all male seniors in Kermanshah, while the sample included 280 participants who were randomly selected. They completed Loneliness Questionnaires, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and Islamic Lifestyle (ILST). The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression. All ethical issues were observed in the study and the authors declared to conflict of interests.Results: The results indicated that the absolute magnitude of correlation coefficients ranged from -0.56 to -0.65. Loneliness had a significant, negative relationship with self-compassion, spirituality, and Islamic lifestyle (P<0.05). Further, the results of simultaneous regression indicated that, in total, the predictors accounted for 59% of the variance in loneliness.Conclusion: According to the results, one can say that those who have higher levels self-compassion and spirituality, and follow an Islamic lifestyle are in a considerably better condition in terms of their health indicators.

Background and Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between regular physical activity with spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being among the elderly in Tehran.Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional design. The study population included all the seniors (over 60 years old) living in Tehran. In total, 200 participants were selected through purposive convenience sampling. Data were collected using King’s Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Pearson product moment correlation and linear regression were employed for data analysis. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: The obtained results indicated a significant positive relationship between spiritual intelligence (and all its subscales) and regular physical activity (P≥ 0.05). Furthermore, three subscales of psychological well-being (namely individual growth, positive communications with others, and self-acceptance) significantly correlated with regular physical activity (P≥ 0.05). It was also found that seniors’ spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being were measurably interrelated (P≥ 0.05).Conclusion: Given that regular physical activity has a positive relationship with spiritual intelligence and some of the subscales of psychological well-being, it is recommended that the elderly should be involved in regular physical activity to promote their health.

Background and Objective: Aging, which is an inevitable process in life, brings about some limitations and disabilities. Providing conditions which are suitable for the elderly can result in a relatively healthy, comfortable, and independent life. Given the important role of mosques in maintaining people’s physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health, the current study aimed to assess the suitability of mosques’ structure in the light of the elderly’s needs.Method: This study, which adopted a cross-sectional design, was conducted among 30 mosques of Sabzevar in the summer of 2016. Data were collected using a 70-item checklist made by the researchers. Elements of spatial structures (e.g. elderly-friendly houses, churches, and parks) were utilized in designing this instrument. The opinions of some experts in ergonomics, elderly science, and civil engineering were also sought. The current conditions of various parts of mosques, including shabestans, rest rooms, wash sinks, corridors, stairs, and entrances, were assessed in this study. All ethical issues were observed in this research and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: About 50% of people who referred to mosques were seniors. The average number of stairs was bigger for the female parts than that of the male parts. Easy access to public transportation was available for around 70% of the mosques. None of the mosques had entrances with equal ground levels in the outside and inside. Finally, about 80% of the studied mosques did not have any ramps for the rest rooms or wash sinks.Conclusion: The assessed mosques were in appropriate conditions in some parts like the ground surface of the yard and the building, lighting, and temperature. However, interventions are required in some parts like rest rooms, stairs, and corridors. Since the population of the elderly is growing in Iran, the physical structure of mosques should undergo some ergonomic interventions to protect seniors’ comfort and independence and enhance their safety.

Background and Objective: Most of the elderly suffer from chronic diseases and receive constant treatment, which can influence their quality of life. It is therefore crucial to gain a thorough understanding of the elderly’s quality of life with the aim of carrying out proper care and support interventions.Method: This qualitative meta-synthesis investigated the concept of quality of life among the elderly and the factors that may influence it. Four qualitative, phenomenological studies focusing on the elderly’s quality of life were analyzed. Major themes were subsequently extracted and final interpretations were made. At the end, a conceptual framework was proposed for the associations among concepts, dimensions, and influential factors of the elderly’s quality of life. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: The results indicated that quality of life in the elderly is a complicated and abstract concept consisting of six main dimensions: internal individual factors, external individual factors, health, familial experiences, social interactions, and environmental factors.Conclusion: Physical health in the elderly relies on individuals’ independence, free will, and internal individual factors (including the degree of the interaction between the senior and religious/spiritual resources, which constitute individuals’ mental health). Religious and spiritual resources are so integral during old age that they can compensate for the lack of familial and social support. Thus, connection with God will remove loneliness among the elderly, help them adapt themselves to their condition, and improve their quality of life.

Background and Objective: Discussion of localizing sciences in all fields of humanities is a contentious issue in Iranian academic settings and has its supporters and opponents. Among new branches of sciences developed in the 20th century, the science of biological, psychological, and social aspects of older adults, known as gerontology, is a recent one. Like other modern sciences, this field of study has an occidental origin. In recent years, it has also found its place in academic settings in Iran. The present study aimed to discover the theoretical, Islamic, and ideological origins of gerontology in oriental and Islamic society.Method: This library-based study was an attempt to review available resources. To this end, Quranic verses, hadiths, and historical documents about the elderly were consulted. key word such as the elderly and old age were used to search for these resources. All ethical issues were observed in the study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: According to the available resources of Islamic jurisprudence, it seems that the current situation is appropriate for localizing gerontology through referring to Quranic resources, Islamic hadiths, ancient history of Iranian culture, and documents on Islamic jurisprudence.Conclusion: Considering the thorough and eternal nature of Islam and its dominance on human’s existential structure and his real needs, it is necessary to design the curriculum of gerontology, which is a newly established discipline, based on Islamic principles and standards.