University of Isfahan Journal of Applied Sociology 2008-5745 24 1 2013 06 22 Religion and Health: An Examination of the Effect of Religiosity on Health in a Sample of University Students Religion and Health: An Examination of the Effect of Religiosity on Health in a Sample of University Students 55 77 18293 FA Seyed Hossein Serajzadeh Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Kharazmi, Tehran Iran Fatemeh Javaheri Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Kharazmi, Tehran Iran Somayyeh Velayati Khajeh Master of Social Science Research Journal Article 2016 06 14 One of the issues in the field of sociology that has attracted the attention of many social scientists is the important role of social determinants in human health. In spite of the significant progress of medical sciences in identification of pathogeneses and treatment methods, sociologists are interested in the study of health and illness and identification of the effective factors. The results of sociological studies indicate that health is multi-faceted, and may be affected by cultural, economic and social factors in addition to biological factors. Most of medical sociologists believe that social factors play an important role in human health; biological and medical explanations, which ignore the significant role of social and cultural factors on health and illness patterns, are insufficient. This has led sociologists to study the social and cultural determinants of health.This research aims to investigate the effect of some social and cultural determinants such as religiosity, healthy lifestyle and level of social support on health among university students. The present study examines the direct and indirect effect of religiosity on health. As a variable, health has been investigated in three physical, mental and social dimensions. The indirect effect of religiosity on health has been studied through social support and healthy lifestyle. In order to study the relationship between religiosity and health, theories of Emile Durkheim, Kingsley Davis, Milton Yinger, Thomas O'Dea’s functionalism theory, and Max Weber and Peter Berger’s meaning theories have been utilized. Each of these approaches has implications for the relationship between religiosity and health. According to the functionalists, religion unifies society and preserves social integration. Also, religion provides a background for integration and categorizes people according to special ideology in peer social groups. This categorization could be a factor for promotion of intergroup integration against outer groups that follow different opinions and ideas. On the other hand, in relation to the research question, Berger and Weber's approach also seems important. According to these theorists religion, in addition to other functions, provides a meaningful and purposeful life in a world that is constantly meaningless. According to Weber, regardless of level of rationality in the society, individuals have a psychological need to find the world meaningful and purposeful. As a result of his view, religion is not functionless in the modern era. So from Weber’s point of view, it can be inferred that even in new forms of society religiosity can have a positive effect on health. Therefore, religious people that are more likely to control their carnal desires show less risky behavior and as a result, they may have a healthier life. In general, implication of functionalists and meaning theorists can be shown in a causal model as a theoretical model of this study as follow: Figure 1- Conceptual Model of the Study Based on the proposed model and the review of literature, the following hypotheses can be reasonably inferred from: 1. Religiosity has a positive effect on healthy lifestyle. 2. Religiosity has a positive effect on social support. 3. Social support has a positive effect on healthy lifestyle. 4. Healthy lifestyle has a positive effect on health. 5. Social support has a positive effect on health. 6. Religiosity has a positive effect on health. One of the issues in the field of sociology that has attracted the attention of many social scientists is the important role of social determinants in human health. In spite of the significant progress of medical sciences in identification of pathogeneses and treatment methods, sociologists are interested in the study of health and illness and identification of the effective factors. The results of sociological studies indicate that health is multi-faceted, and may be affected by cultural, economic and social factors in addition to biological factors. Most of medical sociologists believe that social factors play an important role in human health; biological and medical explanations, which ignore the significant role of social and cultural factors on health and illness patterns, are insufficient. This has led sociologists to study the social and cultural determinants of health.This research aims to investigate the effect of some social and cultural determinants such as religiosity, healthy lifestyle and level of social support on health among university students. The present study examines the direct and indirect effect of religiosity on health. As a variable, health has been investigated in three physical, mental and social dimensions. The indirect effect of religiosity on health has been studied through social support and healthy lifestyle. In order to study the relationship between religiosity and health, theories of Emile Durkheim, Kingsley Davis, Milton Yinger, Thomas O'Dea’s functionalism theory, and Max Weber and Peter Berger’s meaning theories have been utilized. Each of these approaches has implications for the relationship between religiosity and health. According to the functionalists, religion unifies society and preserves social integration. Also, religion provides a background for integration and categorizes people according to special ideology in peer social groups. This categorization could be a factor for promotion of intergroup integration against outer groups that follow different opinions and ideas. On the other hand, in relation to the research question, Berger and Weber's approach also seems important. According to these theorists religion, in addition to other functions, provides a meaningful and purposeful life in a world that is constantly meaningless. According to Weber, regardless of level of rationality in the society, individuals have a psychological need to find the world meaningful and purposeful. As a result of his view, religion is not functionless in the modern era. So from Weber’s point of view, it can be inferred that even in new forms of society religiosity can have a positive effect on health. Therefore, religious people that are more likely to control their carnal desires show less risky behavior and as a result, they may have a healthier life. In general, implication of functionalists and meaning theorists can be shown in a causal model as a theoretical model of this study as follow: Figure 1- Conceptual Model of the Study Based on the proposed model and the review of literature, the following hypotheses can be reasonably inferred from: 1. Religiosity has a positive effect on healthy lifestyle. 2. Religiosity has a positive effect on social support. 3. Social support has a positive effect on healthy lifestyle. 4. Healthy lifestyle has a positive effect on health. 5. Social support has a positive effect on health. 6. Religiosity has a positive effect on health.

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