The benefits of social capital, in particular its relationship with population health, have only recently received research attention. The concept of social capital signifies a community’s potential for cooperative action to address local problems and provide support for members in times of need. It embraces all the social, collective, economic, and cultural resources to which a community has access. Creating and enhancing supportive physical and social environments and expanding community resources could impact health and wellbeing directly by increasing individuals’ capacities to support one another in all aspects of their lives.
There is a growing understanding of the detrimental relationship between social exclusion, health and wellbeing. However, evidence shows that the relationship differs between genders, particularly in countries like Iran, where social systems mean that women may experience reduced opportunities. Much of the research on social capital and wellbeing has been undertaken in western industrialised nations. There has been limited research on the role of social capital in transitional societies such as Muslim countries. In such countries, there has been very limited research into the potential role of social capital for improving health and wellbeing for specific populations such as young women. Hence, this research aims to provide an integrative view on social capital at both the individual and the societal level, and explore its relationship with the wellbeing and lifestyle behaviours of young Iranian women.