Social well-being of a sample of Iranian nurses: a descriptive-analytic study

Background: According to the World Health Organization’s definition, health is a ‘state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity’. However, the social aspect of health, or social well-being, has not been attended to as equally as the other aspects. Social well-being is people’s perceptions and experiences in social circumstances as well as the degree of successful responses to social challenges. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the social well-being of a sample of Iranian nurses. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytic study conducted in 2013. The study population consisted of all 1200 staff nurses working in all hospitals located in Ardabil, Iran. We invited a random sample of 281 practicing nurses to respond to the 33-item Keyes’s Social Well-Being Questionnaire. Study data were analyzed by using SPSS, v. 19.0. Results: Participants’ mean score of social well-being was 105.45±15.87. Social well-being was significantly related to participants’ age, gender, work experience, satisfaction with working in hospital and with income, familiarity with nursing prior to entering it, official position, and type of employment. However, there was no significant relationship between nurses’ social wellbeing and their marital status, their parents and spouses’ educational status, as well as the type of hospital. Conclusion: Nurses’ social well-being deserves special attention. Effective well-being promotion strategies should be executed for promoting their social well-being particularly in areas of social integration and social acceptance. Moreover, nurses, particularly female nurses, need strong financial, emotional, informational, and social support for ensuring their social wellbeing.