We live in a world where the digital transition is stepping up the pace of change in social relationships and we are seeing growing instability. Against this backdrop, a key role in well-being is played by spiritual eudaimonia and developing a sense of meaning both individually and within a community.
Numerous scientific findings have shown that a spiritual dimension – not necessarily of a religious nature – can act as a catalyst for the development of human potential, bringing significant benefits in terms of resilience, a greater sense of belonging, civic participation and more stable social relationships.
The connection between health, well-being and spirituality
The Global Flourishing Study – the first global longitudinal study into human flourishing – clearly shows a strong connection between spirituality, well-being and health.
The study was launched in 2021 by Gallup, in partnership with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and the Center for Open Science.
Involving more than 200,000 people in 22 countries, it will take place over five years.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) has looked into the matter a number of times. The long road it has followed is summed up by a book entitled The Spirit of Global Health: The World Health Organization and the ‘Spiritual Dimension’ of Health, 1946-2021, which is based on a four-year research project coordinated by the Professor of Spiritual Care at the University of Zurich.
In 1984, the 37th World Health Assembly made a historic decision and adopted resolution WHA 37.13, which called upon Member States to consider the spiritual dimension a key part of their health strategies.
In 2016, leaders and representatives of autochthonous peoples, along with anthropologists and doctors from various parts of the world (including Amazonia, Patagonia, Papua New Guinea, sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, Melanesia and Polynesia) wrote an open letter to the WHO asking it to adopt a new definition of health that expressly includes spirituality.
The spiritual dimension has been gradually recognised and included in various WHO guidelines and instruments, especially those relating to measuring quality of life and people-centred care.
Measuring the impact of spirituality on health
The WHOQOL-SRPB (World Health Organization Quality of Life – Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs) instrument is used to assess quality of life, in conjunction with a more traditional tool revolving around physical, psychological, social and environmental aspects.
It explores what gives hope and meaning to people, regardless of their religious backgrounds. Introduced in 1988, it is considered a scientifically reliable means of gauging the impact of spirituality on individual health and subjective perceptions of well-being.
Spirituality and the definition of Wellness
The spiritual dimension was included in the definition of Wellness that the World Health Organization added to its Health Promotion Glossary in 2006. The definition states that there are two focal concerns in wellness: realisation of the fullest potential of an individual physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually and economically, and the fulfilment of role expectations in the family, community, workplace and other settings.
In the Health Promotion Glossary of Terms 2021, Well-being is listed among the core terms. The spiritual dimension is not specifically mentioned, but there are references to aspects such as seeking a sense of meaning and deeper purpose, as seen from both a hedonic (emotions, feelings, mood, happiness, joy…) and a eudaimonic point of view.
On this front, in 2023 the WHO published Achieving well-being: a global framework for integrating well-being into public health utilizing a health promotion approach, which presents a vision of health that integrates physical, mental, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social well-being.
Scientific findings about the impact of spirituality as a therapeutic resource
An increasingly substantial body of empirical research underlines the connection between the spiritual dimension and positive health outcomes.
McKinsey Health Institute's global survey
In 2024, the McKinsey Health Institute (2024) conducted a global survey of 41,000 people in 26 countries. It revealed that people who cultivate their spiritual health – not necessarily in a religious way, but showing the ability to find meaning in life, feeling a sense of connection to something larger than themselves, and having a clear sense of purpose – often display positive physical, mental and emotional outcomes. This suggests a strong correlation between spiritual health and overall well-being.
13 studies between 2005 and 2022
There is a wealth of scientific research that corroborates the results of the survey. For instance, take The impact of spiritual care on the psychological health and quality of life of adults with heart failure: a systematic review published in 2024. The authors analysed 13 randomised trials conducted between 2005 and 2022, involving a total of 882 patients with heart failure.
The interventions examined – including meditation, spiritual support, religious rituals and cognitive measures focusing on the meaning of life – were integrated into standard medical care.
The results show positive, clinically significant effects:
Emotional health: in 8 studies there was a reduction in anxiety and depression among the patients in the intervention groups, who also had higher emotional well-being scores.
Physical function: in 2 studies, meditation led to improvements in blood pressure levels and exercise tolerance.
General mental health: 2 studies showed an increase in spiritual well-being and psychological stability.
These findings confirm that spiritual care – when integrated into general health care – can enhance the mental health and quality of life of patients with heart failure. In addition, the variety of the interventions featured in the trials presents a fresh perspective on how spiritual care can be adapted to suit the specific needs of patients, taking into account cultural and religious differences.
Other results from literature
Yet more encouraging results can be found in a literature review published in 2024 in the “Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services”. It examined 16 studies into the role of spirituality in recovery from severe mental disorders. Published between 2019 and 2023, the studies in question featured both quantitative and qualitative research conducted in a number of countries, including Spain, Turkey, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and India.
The results indicate that spirituality helps to increase self-esteem, hope and self-efficacy in people with severe mental disorders. A spiritual approach to analysing disorders can also serve as an effective emotional strategy for developing positivity and boosting optimism.
Some of the methods most frequently mentioned in the literature are prayer, reciting sacred texts, fasting, zikr, yoga, and meditation, as well as activities such as reading and making art. In many cultural contexts, spirituality and religiosity are seen to play a crucial part in fuelling hope and faith in the recovery process, because they can aid the development of adaptive skills, such as controlling anger, reducing anxiety, and increasing feelings of peace and happiness. Accepting a disorder as part of life can trigger a transformative reconceptualising and internalising process that leads to a stronger sense of independence and responsibility in the management of the condition.
To close, but not conclude
In a similar vein, more and more research is being conducted into mindfulness not only for patients but also for healthcare workers. For example, an initiative has been launched at Turin’s Sant’Anna hospital by the Medicina a Misura di Donna (Medicine Tailored to Women) Foundation, in partnership with the Psychology Department at the University of Turin.
Despite the scientific findings about the effectiveness of spirituality as a core part of care, with a focus on improving health and quality of life, there is still a degree of both institutional and cultural reluctance to fully integrate it in healthcare systems. In order to overcome these barriers, it is essential to raise awareness and provide proper training for healthcare workers, with guidelines to help them respect and harness the spiritual and cultural beliefs of their patients. A broader vision of spiritual care – which can take the form not only of religious practices, but also of a collection of values, beliefs and rituals that support emotional and psychological well-being – can enhance clinical approaches and boost their efficacy.
A cura di Catterina Seia (Presidente CCW – Cultural Welfare Centre) e Elena Rosica ( Cultural Welfare Center (CCW), Research Area)
