Background and Purpose: Aging is defined as a progressive functional impairment due to reduction in adaptive response to the stress and associated with the risk of developing age-related diseases. An elderly is need of religious methods in order to face the changes and tensions of the life. There are few studies in areaof religious belief and health promotion. The aim of present study was to explore the use of religious behaviors toward health improving in Iranian elderly women.

    Method: This study was done by a qualitative approach. There were 25 elderly women participants. Totally, data of 25 interviews and observations were analyzed. Alongside the data collection, analysis was achieved through continuous text revision, observation and in-field notes. Data were analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman’s content analysis method.

    Results: According to the findings, totally 625 of the codes appeared about religious strategies for health promotion by elders. By reduction and abstraction of the codes two main themes appeared that were problem focused prayer and emotional focused prayer. Three subcategories constituted problem focused prayer theme that were problem solving, spending leisure times and confrontation. Subcategory of emotional focused prayer was self-control. Each subcategory was formed by more subclasses.

    Conclusion: According to our findings about the role of Religious practices in health promotion in Iranian Elderly women and by understanding the elderly women needs and their religious behaviors , health-care providers can provide educational preventive measurements in order to improve health promotion of older women.

    Received:16 April 2013                Revised:11 August 2014                 Accepted: 6 septamber 2014

   J Religion & Health 2014 2(1) :….( Persian)