Abstract

Background: Social health, as a key dimension of well-being, is influenced by structural factors such as poverty and social exclusion among vulnerable populations, including women and girls receiving support from the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (IKRF). Given the unique circumstances of this population and its interactions with support systems, an in-depth exploration of the dimensions and components of social health may contribute to a better understanding of their social health status.



Objective: This study aimed to explore the dimensions and factors associated with social health among women and girls receiving support from the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation.



Methods: This qualitative study employed a grounded theory approach based on the Strauss and Corbin (1998) paradigm. Participants included 40 women and girls receiving support from the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in South Khorasan Province, Iran, in 2025. Participants were selected through purposive sampling using a maximum variation strategy, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The trustworthiness of the findings was assessed using the four criteria proposed by Guba and Lincoln (1985).



Results: From the participants’ perspectives, social health was a fragile and dynamic phenomenon characterized by fluctuations between social exclusion and efforts to reclaim social standing. The core category, “Persistent efforts to preserve dignity within a support-oriented yet exclusionary context,” was identified. This process was shaped by causal conditions, including poverty and social labeling, and contextual conditions, such as cultural judgment and gender inequality. Conservative strategies, including withdrawal and cautious hope, contributed to outcomes such as reduced social participation and the perpetuation of cycles of deprivation.



Conclusion: The social health of women and girls receiving support from the IKRF is shaped less by individual factors than by social structures and the quality of institutional support. Accordingly, support policies should prioritize sustainable economic empowerment, the reduction of social stigma, and the provision of respectful and emotionally supportive services to facilitate a transition from social vulnerability to sustainable, dignity-centered social inclusion.