The spiritual experiences of students of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2020

Background: Psychologists consider the acceptance of spirituality as a cultural reality and by acknowledging the positive effects of spirituality on mental health, the World Health Organization also considers the spiritual dimension as the physical, social and emotional dimensions of human existence. Spirituality is a genuine and inner experience that It lies in the nature of every human being. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spiritual experiences of students of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2020. Methods: The present study was descriptive-analytical. The sample size of 500 students of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2020 was estimated. For sampling, a list of students was prepared from the faculty education and the sample was selected by regular random sampling method through random number generation software. The data collection tool was a questionnaire with demographic questions and spiritual experiences. The collected data were analyzed after completion with SPSS 20 software. A significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results: The mean score of the meaning-finding component in life was obtained at 57.98. There was a significant relationship between spiritual experiences and gender, age and educational level of students, while no significant relationship was found between spiritual experiences and marital status and residence. Conclusion: In order to ensure the spiritual health of students, it is necessary to plan properly to create a meaningful atmosphere in universities for different age and gender groups

The components of lifestyle in patients recovered from COVID-19: A phenomenological study

As the world is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lifestyles have also been affected. The present study was conducted to explain the components of lifestyle in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. This qualitative study was conducted with a phenomenological approach on 16 people recovered from COVID-19 living in Tehran. The participants were selected by purposive sampling, and in-depth unstructured interviews were held with them. The data were analyzed in MAXQDA. Four main categories were extracted as the components of the lifestyle of patients recovered from COVID-19, including physical problems (with the subcategories of frailty and feeling old, and post-recovery physical symptoms), physical activity (with the subcategories of inability to take a walk, and inability to exercise), nutrition (with the subcategories of loss of appetite, taking supplements, and compliance with healthy eating), psychological problems (sleep disorder, obsession, stress, anxiety about infecting family and friends, and neurological disorders). The alterations in people’s lifestyles due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the protocols imposed to prevent the disease transmission are undeniable. Health planners and policy-makers should therefore pay particular attention to these changes as new challenges, especially in designing lifestyle-related interventions