Exploring the youth experience about sense of social security: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Undoubtedly, one of the vital needs of man is security. Determinants and related factors to sense of social security is one of the most important research priorities, especially in adolescents and young people.
OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors affecting the social security of the youth.
METHODS: In 2017, using conventional content analysis, and benefiting from semi-structured in-depth interviews, we conducted a qualitative study exploring the opinions of young people about their feelings regarding social security. First, a targeted sampling method was determined to collect the data. Participants were young volunteers aged 18 to 30 who were selected from Tehran, the capital of Iran. Inclusion criteria for participants were willingness to participate in the study and ability to express their experiences. Data was extracted from 21 participants.
RESULTS: The participants consisted of 21 young people who met the study inclusion criteria, of whom 12 participants were male. Their mean age was 24.4±0.41 years and their education varied from primary school to master's degree. Under two main categories of the need for economic and financial security and the need for a safe society, we extracted 11 subcategories following 32 codes. According to the findings, most participants agreed on the important role that sense of social security has in their lives and their health.
CONCLUSION: The important role of sense of social security in participant's lives and health was the main important point of our findings, emphasized by most of participants. Based on the results; the assessment of the specific needs of different target groups, the design, development and implementation of health programs led to more effective interventions.

1. Introduction

Social security, is defined as the ability of the community to preserve the essential characteristics, under changing conditions and threats. Social security, oversees the provision of public health, against violence, and removes mental concerns (insecurity) of citizens (1). The need for security is one of the basic human needs which is mostly in direct connection with other essential needs such as food, clothing and housing. In other words, a decrease in sense of security can destroy people’s sense of well-being and increase tension, stress, and anxiety (2). As social security improves, hope and confidence are significantly improved (2). According to evidence, as an individual society’s responses depend on its perception of accepting security, the sense of security in society is deemed to be more important than the actual security of society (2). In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the sense of security is classified after basic and physiological needs (3). Social security includes two main dimensions of objective and subjective of which the subjective dimension mainly contains the sense of security (4). This feeling is derived from the direct or indirect experiences of people in different situations and environmental experiences (4). The relationship between security and sense of security is the basis for decision making that has an undeniably significant role in people’s lives (4). Zhai and colleagues, in their comprehensive quantitative and qualitative study, examined living conditions and perceived needs for social security among men and women, and concluded that very few people indicate the absence of social security needs. They emphasized that the key social security priorities should cover medical care, elderly care, and charitable assistance (5). The insecure situations and fears of victimization reduce the sense of security. Researchers have revealed that in problematic areas, based on official statistics, it has been proven that women and girls feel insecure and frightened in day to day life (6). The experience of fear of the victim is discussed as an important factor in feeling insecure in society (7). On the other hand, the results of studies confirmed that; that awareness of incidents and crimes plays an important role in increasing the sense of social security (8). Other researchers, such as Reno and Lavery, showed the link between the lack of this feeling with depression, insomnia, social disturbances, and even marital problems (9). Iran, with a mean age of 26 years, is one of the youngest countries in the world (10). The period of youth is an important phase of life, because of the need for progress, numerous social hobbies, the desire to express personality, the desire to marry, the issues of communication with the opposite sex. In this regard, sense of security plays an important role in calming people and the most important individual and social needs are considered (11). Understanding the factors affecting the sense of security is a fundamental prerequisite for planning for the promotion of social security (11, 12). In Iran, a conducted sociological study in Isfahan focused on young people over 18 years of age. Samples were selected from all social groups. The results showed that, except for religious obligations and socioeconomic status, social control and social discipline play an important role in the social security of citizens (13). A related study confirmed that the sense of security affects social and economic status and social discipline, on the other hand, religious commitment has an inverse effect on the feelings of women, regarding social security (4, 14). Several projects have been conducted to examine the impact of different factors on the assessment of sense of social security, but the innovation in the present study is to identify different dimensions without any prejudice and to try to use the mentality of the youth. This was a qualitative study that focused on the nature of the subject, because the sense of security is a subjective issue that cannot be completed without considering the person’s interpretations (15). In this regard, there are very few qualitative studies that discuss the views of young participants about the sense of social security (16). Yet, few qualitative studies to date have identified factors that participants perceive to facilitate the successful implementation of sense of security (17–19). The aim of this research was to examine the sense of social security among young people. Researchers are seeking to answer this fundamental question: What are the factors involved in the sense of security among young people?

2. Material and Methods

2.1. Study design and participants

The present study is part of a more comprehensive research project entitled “Assessing the needs of young people in Iran” based on the findings of a qualitative content analysis (2016–2017). To examine the factors affecting the sense of social security in young people, they were asked to express their experiences about the phenomenon of purpose, and describe the challenges in this regard from their point of view. Based on the inclusion criteria, participants were selected from different ages from 18 to 30 years old and in different regions of the city with a different socioeconomic and cultural status. An appropriate sample size for a qualitative study is one that adequately answers the research question. Therefore, sampling continued until no new categories, themes, or explanations emerged (data saturation). To this end, considering the framework of research question(s)/purpose; time frame of study and resources availability, and benefiting from convenience purposeful approaches, the sampling continued until the point of data saturation (20).

2.2. Guide-questioning

The Interview guide-questioning is designed by the scientific committee in accordance with the relevant literature and study objectives. To this end, we searched related documents and focused on tools and measurement methods of different approaches. In the research, the reliability and validity of the tools were understood as the value of trust and accuracy in qualitative research (21). Subsequently, through pilot studies, using semi-structured interviews with the presence of 5 youths, entry criteria were introduced, interview guide-questioning was further developed, and the main interview guide included 10 semi-open guiding questions. Finally, the interview process guided the data collection.

2.3. Interviews

Data were collected by deep, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. At the beginning of the interviews, research goals and methods were explained to the participants. Each session lasted between 45 and 100 minutes (with a mean duration of 65 minutes). All interviews were conducted in a peaceful environment such as a particular room of a public library or a park or on campus, with prior agreement of the participants. The interview began with general questions as well as open-ended ones based on the study objectives. For example, “What are your needs regarding feelings of security in society?” or “Can you tell us about your experiences of a safe community?” and “What obstacles have you endured to contain a safe society?” The interview then continued with exploratory questions to clarify the concept and get more in-depth information. All the conversations were audio-recorded with the permission of the participants.

2.4. Data analysis

Data extracted from 21 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 participants, was analyzed through conventional content analysis method. Based on the Graneheim and Lundman model, the following steps were conducted: 1) Writing the interview was conducted immediately after the interview had finished, 2) reading the entire text to understand its general content, 3) determining the units of meaning and initial codes, and 4) classifying the initial codes in more comprehensive categories. In this approach, code classification was directly extracted from the interviews (22). In the present study, categories were extracted irrespective of preconceived categories of data after each interview. Immediately after that, the text was transcribed and typed word-for-word in Microsoft Word. In the next step, units were determined from the participants’ statements, with the cooperation and agreement of the research team. The sub-categories and categories were then formed based on the similarities and differences. Subcategories were formed with similar events and outcomes, and the primary categories were then set. This subjective procedure continued until the themes were extracted. In this study, various aspects of trustworthiness were observed. Sharing the summarized interview findings with the participants at the end of the interview (respondent validation), attempting to clearly detail methods of data collection, analysis, added quotes, and meaning units (Transferability), peer checking by an experienced colleague (dependability), and consistency checks between colleagues were also performed throughout the analysis process (team consistency) (23). To facilitate data analysis, the researcher used Dedoose (version 7.6.6, categorization, constant comparisons, and quotation retrieval). This web based application, developed by academics from UCLA, is mostly used for data analyzing of qualitative research (24).

2.5. Ethical Considerations

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in Iran (The code of the Ethical Committee: IR.USWR.REC.1395.378). Participation in the study was voluntary and participants were ensured that they could withdraw from the study whenever they wanted. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. At the beginning of the interviews, research goals and methods were explained to the participants and they were assured of confidentiality of information. Ethical considerations were respected during all the processes of the study, including data collection (recording and transcribing the interviews), data analysis, and dissemination of results. All information was collected anonymously and the outcomes were used only for research purposes.

3. Results

The participants consisted of 21 young people who met the study inclusion criteria, and of whom 12 participants were male. Their mean age was 24.4±0.41 years and their education varied from primary school to master’s degree. All the participants resided in Tehran. Participants were from different geographic regions of Tehran. Demographic characteristics of participants are shown in Table 1. According to the goals of the study, after content analysis of the concept of sense of social security, we extracted 2 categories, 11 sub-categories, following 34 codes. Two main categories were “the need for economic and financial security” and “the need for a safe society”. The codes for these categories and sub-categories are listed in Tables 2 and 3.

Table 1

Demographic characteristics of participants

Demographic characteristics		Frequency
		n	%
Sex	Female	9	43
	Male	12	57
Grade	High school diploma	7	33
	Bachelor	8	38
	Master degree	6	29
Occupation	Unemployed	3	14
	Worker	4	19
	Employee	6	29
	Student	8	38
Total		21	100

Table 2

The extracted codes for the need for economic and financial security theme

Category	Subcategory	Code
The need for economic and financial security	Need to have a proper job	Need to have the right income The need for entrepreneurship by young people Attention to the opportunities available in society Inadequate attention of officials to the issue of job creation in the community Using relationships rather than meritocracy to find jobs Gender discrimination in work environments
	Inefficiency of education	The existence of a culture of pragmatism in society Lack of coordination between college graduates and their attraction in work environments
	Costliness and inflation	Humanitarian considerations Marriage challenges Contributing in family costs
	Concern for the future	Having stress Appropriate and secure prospects for the future
	Lack of job and capital security	Job security Economists spend money on investing properly

Table 3

The extracted codes for the need for a safe society theme

Category	Sub-category	Code
The need for a safe society	The need to have a healthy community	Cigarette and alcohol consumption Drug abuse Misuse of mass media Contaminated public places Existence of fear in society
	The need to have Desirable educational environments	Standard educational environments Multidimensional learning environments Educational counseling in educational settings
	The need for healthy relationships in society	Counterfeit friends Unhealthy relationships with the opposite sex
	The need for having healthy recreation in the community	Expensive Being low Out of reach The lack of attractiveness of recreational activities in the community
	Preventing accidents	Traffic and road accidents Construction accidents
	Family disputes	Permanent disputes in the family Expectations and ungratefulness Divorce

3.1. The need for economic and financial security

In this category from 243 units of meaning, 15 codes in 5 sub-categories were extracted. Findings of the participants in in-depth interviews were concluded under the following major domains: Need to have a proper job and concern for the future were the first and most important topics that almost all participants mentioned. Economic security was one of the dimensions of social security. Due to the complexity of today’s society and the increasing range of financial needs, people’s concern is focused on this need. In this way, the most basic needs of life, which are peace and tranquility, are compromised. Having a good job, education, concern for the future, inflation and high unemployment, and job and capital insecurity were a few of the most important issues that the participants pointed to. The codes for this theme are listed in the Table 2.

3.1.1. The need to have a proper job

Undoubtedly, young people need jobs, which are always offered alongside their other needs (such as marriage, education and housing). Young people in the study pointed out that unemployment in society, lack of income and lack of entrepreneurship by young people, lead young people to frustration and disappointment. The majority of participants noted the lack of adequate attention by the authorities to creating jobs. One of the participants was a young male who was 21 years old, single, and had a bachelor’s degree, stated: “I’m looking for a job, how do I find a job? When can I buy a house and a car? Another participant stated “Most young people are not currently hoping to find the right job.”(Male, 23 years old, single, high school diploma). Young people in this study noted that having a job would have to prevent high-risk behaviors. “The constant presence of young people in the park is due to unemployment, and can lead to cigarettes and narcotics.”(Male, 27 years old, single, Master’s degree). Young people pointed to having enough income: “Having a job with enough income is one of the most important priorities of social security.”(Male, 25 years old, single, bachelor’s degree) Another participant stated “Our problem is that we do not have a good salary system that has enough income to work. When I worked for the first time, my salary was very low. I was disappointed, and I realized that I had to work two shifts. “(Male, 29 years old, married, bachelor’s degree). Entrepreneurship and professional skills were introduced as one of the most important needs in job seeking. “I think it’s important to have the skills to get a job.”(Male, 23 years old, single, high school diploma). Attention to the opportunities available in society was one of the requirements for entering the job market by young people. “Now is the time to innovate in the field of e-commerce and modern marketing. Now, everyone wants to buy something, they do it on the Internet.”(Female, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). The inadequate attention of the authorities to the problem of creating jobs in the community was also mentioned by the participants: “Officials do not pay enough attention to this fact.” (Male, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). Using relationships rather than meritocracy to find jobs was also raised by many young people: “spending money for lobbying is necessary to find a job.” (Female, 26 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). Young people pointed to gender discrimination for work. One of the youths said: “Girls have less chance of getting a job than boys.” (Female, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree)

3.1.2. Inefficiency of education

Inefficiency of education and lack of coordination between university graduates and their absorption in the workplace, are issues that have been mentioned in discussions of young people. Young people often say that education has no effect in finding a suitable job and is a waste of time. “Most young people have jobs that are unrelated to their education. I have a bachelor’s degree, but I am a taxi driver” (Male, 26 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). What was evident in the words of some young people was this idea of the existence of a culture of pragmatism in society. “Young people go to university to get a bachelor’s degree, even if they do not use it.” (Female, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree)

3.1.3. Costliness and Inflation

Many young people were worried about financial problems, and this is due to inflation in the community. “With inflation in society, it is difficult to meet financial needs. Every day, goods become more expensive and our purchasing power is smaller.” (Male, 29 years old, married, bachelor’s degree). One of the important issues that the youth group involved in this study was the lack of humanitarian considerations in society due to economic problems. “Economic problems and inflation cause people to be unable to help each other and to not have humanitarian considerations” (Female, 27 years old, single, high school diploma). The most important issues raised by young people were in relation to economic problems and marriage challenges. “The lack of economic security in society and inflation have an important impact on the issue of marriage: my marriage has been destroyed by economic problems for five years, and we both are still engaged, we cannot solve our economic problems.”(Male, 30 years old, married, bachelor’s degree). Some young people consider contributing to family costs. “The bad economic situation has caused one person’s income in the family, to be insufficient. Both couples must work for living expenses.”(Male, 27 years old, married, bachelor’s degree)

3.1.4. Concern for the future

Concerns about the future and the stress caused by economic and financial problems in the community were among the issues that a large number of participants referred to. “The economic situation in our society is not stable, there is no certainty. The price may drop, and suddenly go bankrupt. There is no absolute financial security. “(Male, 23 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). Some young people expressed lack of confidence in the future as one of the most important factors in the lack of mental relaxation. “Society cannot provide peace of mind for young people who, after completing their course, will have to find work relevant to their qualifications, and we do not have a vision for the future. (Male, 26 years old, single, master degree)

3.1.5. Lack of job and capital security

The need for economic security and financial security was one of the important social security issues raised by young people. The youth stated in this regard: “The main issues are financial security, capital and occupation. If you have these, the most basic needs will be provided.” (Male, 23 years old, single, bachelor’s degree) or “If I'm confident in the security of my capital, I'll spend the weekend on leisure and sports. But now, even on Fridays, I have to work. But I still have an unfavorable economic situation.” (Male, 26 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). Many young people considered the lack of cost-effective investment as a reason for increasing unemployment in the community and ensuring the security of capital and profits was considered a way to youth employment. “Rich people in Iran are not thinking about investing because it is not economical. If the capitalist does not make a lot of profit from investment, he will not invest, and his money will stay in the bank.” (Male, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree)

3.2. The need for a safe society

Safe society is not just the prevention of accidents, the goal is to create a field in which people live their lives in better circumstances. Based on the analysis of participants’ points of view, for this theme, from 282 units of meaning, 17 codes were extracted. Participating youth in the study stated that factors such as the need for a healthy community, the need for good educational environments, the need for healthy relationships in the community, the need for proper community-based entertainment, prevention of accidents and family disputes are the most important factors influencing social security. In this regard, the youth referred to the following:

3.2.1. The need to have a healthy community

Many young people considered cigarette and alcohol prevalence, drugs, vulgar films, and polluted public places as the cause of creating an unhealthy community, and called for the need for a healthy society to be one of the most important needs of social security. “There is an available facility in the community for tendency towards unhealthy behavior, many times, I have been offered a cigar and drugs in the park. Providing these materials is very easy and available. Authorities should pay more attention to social settings like the park and the cinema and.... Be safe. “(Male, 22 years old, single, bachelor’s degree)

3.2.2. The need for Desirable educational environments

From the point of view of the youth, the existence of standard and desirable training environments was introduced as an important requirement for social security. In this context, young people have pointed out that educational environments were one-dimensional: “In our educational settings, such as schools and universities, we need to pay attention to all aspects of life, and now in schools and universities there is just competition for courses.” (Male, 22 years old, single, bachelor’s degree) or “Preparing for socialization is ignored in schools. There is only one scientific competition in schools and it does not pay attention to other dimensions. “(Female, 21 years old, single, student of university). A group of young people referred to the lack of advice counselors in schools. Induction into various university courses and having comprehensive and adequate information when entering the university is very important. “After graduating from college, I realize that I do not like my degree. Because I had no idea before I chose the field of study. (Female, 24 years old, single, University student)

3.2.3. The need for healthy relationships in society

Young participants in the research have pointed to the existence of unhealthy connections, such as counterfeit friends or unhealthy relationships with non-homosexuals in the community, and finding healthy relationships in society is one of the important social security needs. “The limitations in our society lead to unhealthy secret communication between girls and boys, and this is very dangerous for young people.” (Female, 19 years old, single, high school diploma). Relations with the opposite sex were among the issues raised by the youth: “The friendship between girls and boys is obvious, and within the framework of community rules, it is not a problem, but sometimes there is a secret relationship, which is very dangerous and can badly influence a young person.” (Female, 22 years old, single, University student). A group of young people also referred to the important role of families in building healthy relationships in society: “There is a need to socialize with the opposite sex at this age. All boys find girlfriends. Parents’ behavior with the youth is very important in this matter. Some girls and boys hide everything from the family. The families must become like a safety belt for the youth. Parents often do not know about the communication of their children in the community. Parents should not be ignorant of their children. Friendship and trust are very important. If an unhealthy relationship is formed, terminating it is very difficult.” (Female, 26 years old, single, bachelor’s degree)

3.2.4. The need for having healthy recreation in the community

Many young people have pointed to issues such as high costs and lack of access to recreational and sports facilities. The presence of appropriate social entertainment is considered as part of the need for social security: “We need a lot of money to have the least fun. In our community, the cost of having fun like climbing, along with eating lunch is much higher than the cost of drugs.” (Male, 22 years old, single, bachelor’s degree), or “A very important issue is the fun of the youth. There are very few activities for young people in our country. The lack of places for recreation and their high cost will keep young people away.” (Female, 22 years old, single, university student). A group of young people has also referred to the lack of attractiveness of healthy recreation among the peer group of youth, and has considered it effective in social security. “Activities such as going to a night party is memorable. Young people will talk about it for a long time. But climbing and cycling for young people is a lot less interesting. I think that places of recreation should be happier and more pleasant to attract young people. “(Female, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). A group of young people referred to non-standard and non-safe places for recreation in the community: “Even the r amusement park rides are dangerous, it’s not safe. Its equipment should be up to safety standard. In Tehran we do not even have a circuit for racing cars. Young people drive at high speeds on the highway, and endanger people’s lives.” (Male, 20 years old, single, high school diploma)

3.2.5. Preventing accidents

The youth pointed to two issues of traffic and road safety and building security in the prevention of accidents. “We are one of the world’s leading countries in road accidents. We do not have a standard road, and more important than the machines, we are not standard.”(Male, 22 years old, single, bachelor’s degree). “Our buildings do not have enough security. If there is an earthquake in Tehran, how many percent of these buildings will last? .... In Tehran, there are buildings that have no standard heating equipment. Every year we hear how many people are suffering because of choking”. (Male, 29 years old, married, master’s degree)

3.2.6. Family disputes

Young people described the existence of disputes and differences between parents as factors influencing social security, and considered it an effective factor in the need for social health, and have stated that a healthier and more secure family environment will have a positive effect on family members’ morale, and that these favorable effects are transferred to society. “The controversy between parents makes me feel dizzy. When I go out of the house after a dispute with my parents, I feel like we are strangers. I feel like I'm separated. It’s a great sadness”. (Male, 22 years old, single, bachelor’s degree) or “Social security must start from the home. The person should in the first place, feel safe at home. When you do not feel safe at home, how can you feel safe outside the house?” (Female, 24 years old, single, bachelor’s degree), and “Our parents are our supporters, and when they fight and threaten each other, I become tired of life. (Female, 19 years old, single, high school diploma) and “Sometimes my mother speaks and suddenly everything goes wrong and..... (The debate continues) …… I leave the house” (Male, 20 years old, single, university student). The participants referred to factors such as high expectations with disobedience, and considered it as one of the causes of the difference in the family: “Sometimes the expectations are too much. The main problem is that everyone has expectations of other. But they do not care what others expect from them. People think they have done well, but have not seen Any appreciation.” (Male, 24 years old, single, high school diploma)

4. Discussion

Security has several effects on human life, including social development, creativity, and valuable activity without sense of security will not be possible (25). Security needs are recognized as the motive and basic requirements of mankind (3). When it comes to the sense of social security, inner and subjective feelings must be taken (3). To design more effective interventions, we need to understand more about the factors that influence youth attitudes and behaviors (26). The findings of this study point to two major issues related to the sense of social security of a young person. These categories include the need for financial and economic security and the need for a safe society. Each of these categories includes 5–6 sub-categories. These categories and sub-categories embody the factors that young people perceive in their sense of social security. The young people talked about the conditions they were facing in their lives. They pointed to their social security needs and emphasized financial and economic security as one of the most important social security needs. The study of Rasoul and Harandi also confirms these results (27, 28). In the sub-category of financial and economic security, young people referred to the need for a job and education. They pointed out that the identity of the individual is formed in society under the influence of these two factors. The personal identity variable is one of the main variables affecting the sense of social security. Jenkins believes that identity is a process and continuous process that is produced and reproduced over time (29), and the entrance of youth in the various areas of work and the university will help them to redefine their identity (4, 28). The results of the present study showed that having a good job in society and having enough income ensures young people’s future, and also affects the attitude toward risky behaviors. In addition to, Hajiani also showed that positive emotional orientation of citizens (satisfying, convincing and calming) increases the sense of social security (30). Other findings from this study emphasized that high costs and high inflation in the community could result in insecurity of capital, social distrust and indifference of the community. Other similar studies concluded that there is a meaningful relationship between social participation, social trust and social cohesion with feeling of social security (31). Another variable that affects the sense of security is trust and partnership. The results showed that the more youths trust in people, the stronger security they feel and social participation of the youth in the various fields of social, political, cultural aspects, creates a wider feeling of security. According to other studies, the feeling of insecurity increases the cost of social interactions and, furthermore, reduces social trust, creates personal and social indifference and threatens social cohesion (4). Hasanwand and Neyasi et al. in their study have shown that the sense of security affects social and economic status and social discipline (4, 14). The results of these studies are consistent with Norozie and Folady and Kamran Ebadi (32, 33). Social support and the availability of appropriate educational services and having healthy and happy relationships with male and female peers, was also one of the issues young people considered effective in social security. Hadi Bahrami also states that this can be due to the availability of the facilities and services of education, health and well-being (34).

From the perspective of many young people, education and training do not facilitate employment. This problem is extracted from the lack of interaction between educational institutions and the labor market. The needs of the labor market do not match with the educational system. The youth referred to lack of interest in their achievement of university degrees. Zokaei, consistent with the results of the present study, revealed that academic alienation has reduced the efficiency and effectiveness of graduates, which is the consequence of the employment crisis for graduates (35). One of the other most important issues mentioned by young people was the delay in marriage due to financial problems. Rasouli and Salehi have also noted the recent rising age of marriage in Iranian youth that could be related to unemployment and reduced financial strength of the youth (27). Mohammad Poor, in his research, referred to probable related factors of increased expectations, financial problems, and the inability to meet the cost of living (36). Overall, the results of this study and the results of other studies on the factors affecting the sense of social security, indicate that social security feelings are affected by many factors in young people. Many of these are controllable factors that must be taken into consideration in order to increase the sense of social security, and take practical steps to achieve the goal. The results of this study can be useful in developing appropriate strategies for improving the level of social security in young people based on the factors affecting it. The current study has a limitation; while some factors such as social support status and spiritual aptitude have impact on people’s sense of social security, these factors were not included in this study.

5. Conclusions

The important role of sense of social security in participants’ lives and health, was the main point of our findings, emphasized by most of the youth. The two main categories emerged from the concept of social security feeling, the need for financial security, and the need for a safe society. Based on that, we proposed the participatory strategies for social security promotion in young people. In such conditions, target groups especially the youth, through interactive process during the designing, development, and implementation of social health programs, meet the researchers, social and health policymakers, and other stakeholders’ evidentiary gaps.