Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 48 1 2019 01 16 43 52 Sedighe FOROUHARI Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Saeed HOSSEINI TESHNIZI Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran Mohammad Hasan EHRAMPOUSH Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Seyed Saeed MAZLOOMY MAHMOODABAD Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Hossein FALLAHZADEH Prevention and Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Disease Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Seyed Ziaeddin TABEI Department of Medical Ethics and Philosophy of Health, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Mohammad NAMI Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Masoud MIRZAEI Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Bahia NAMAVAR JAHROMI Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Seyyed Mehrdad HOSSEINI TESHNIZI Department of Natural Science and Mathematics, School of Biochemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, USA Jalil GHANI DEHKORDI Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran Maryamsadat KAZEMITABAEE Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran 2019 01 16 Background: Religious obligation helps people to develop mental health by creating internal commitment to special rules. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the relationship between religious orientation and anxiety among college students. Methods: Major scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, EBSCO, ProQuest and PsycINFO were searched for original research articles published 1987-2016.   A random effect model was used to combine Correlation coefficient. All analyses were performed using Stata MP. Results: After screening of 7235 documents, 13 articles including 5620 participants met inclusion criteria in this meta-analysis. Correlation coefficient was -0.08 (95% CI= -0.19, -0.03) which indicated with increasing religious orientation, anxiety and depression reduced (P<0.001). Characteristics such as sex, geographic region, and type of religions were potential sources of heterogeneity. Based on fill-and-trim method the adjusted pooled r was obtained, -0.06 (95% CI= -0.16, -0.04). Conclusion: There was a weakness relationship between religious orientation and mental anxiety and depression. Therefore, it needs to improve knowledge of student about advantages of religious orientation.   https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/15937 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/15937/6252