Spiritual Health and Its Socio-demographic Determinants in Rural Central India: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
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Abstract
Introduction: Spiritual health is considered an important component of overall well-being, yet information from rural Indian communities is limited. Understanding the influence of socio-demographic factors on spiritual health may support holistic approaches in public health. The present study assessed spiritual health inclination in different domains and examined its association with selected socio-demographic variables among rural adults.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from April to November 2015 at a Rural Demographic Surveillance Site linked to a tertiary care teaching hospital in Central India. The study included 430 individuals aged 15 to 59 years selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire assessing three domains of spiritual health. Scores for each domain were grouped into low (0–6), neutral (7–13), and high (14–20) inclination categories. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics along with chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.
Results: A large proportion of participants reported high inclination in all three domains of spiritual health. High inclination was most commonly observed for connectedness with self (98.60%), followed by connectedness with a higher authority (78.37%) and search for meaning and purpose in life (76.28%). Significant associations were identified between gender and the domains related to meaning and purpose in life, as well as connectedness with self. Family structure was significantly associated with meaning and purpose in life, whereas educational status showed a significant association with meaning and purpose in life and connectedness with a higher authority (p < 0.05). The questionnaire demonstrated moderate internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.69.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that spiritual health inclination is common among rural adults and is associated with factors such as gender, family type, and education. Inclusion of spiritual dimensions in community health approaches may help support more comprehensive public health planning.
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