Levels Of Death Anxiety Research Articles

Death Anxiety and Its Related Factors in Emergency Medical Technicians in Qom, Iran, in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Background and Objectives: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the first healthcare providers in the time of crisis. They are exposed to many physical and psychological risks, including death anxiety. The present study aims to investigate the death anxiety level and its related factors in EMTs in Qom, Iran, in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 185 EMTs from the hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Sampling was done by simple random method. The data collection tool was Templer’s Death Anxiety Scale. Data analysis was done in SPSS software, version 23 using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses. Results: The mean total score of death anxiety was 6.4±3.05. Based on the results of the multivariate regression analysis, the variables of age, marital status, and work experience could explain 43% of the variance in death anxiety of EMTs (β=0.433, P=0.001). Conclusion: Death anxiety of EMTs in Qom in the post-COVID-19 era is at a moderate level. The factors of age, marital status, and work experience are the predictors of death anxiety in EMTs. It is recommended that older, married, and more experienced EMTs should receive more psychological evaluations and consultations.

The Effect of Depression and Hopelessness Level on Death Anxiety in Earthquake Survivor Students One Year After the Earthquake.

It is important to reveal the long-term psychological effects of the earthquake in earthquake-exposed individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of depression, hopelessness and death anxiety in students who experienced the earthquake one year after the earthquake and to examine the effects of depression and hopelessness on death anxiety. This is a descriptive and correlational study. Data were collected from 155 Emergency Relief and Disaster Management students who experienced the Kahramanmaras earthquake in Türkiye in 2023. Data were collected using Personal Information Form, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety Scale. In the study, a moderate positive correlation was found, indicating that as levels of depression and hopelessness increased, so did death anxiety (p < .05). Depression and hopelessness explained 18.1% of the variance in death anxiety. Death anxiety was found to be higher in males and in students whose relatives or close friends died.

Relationship between death anxiety and resilience among critical care nurses in Oman.

Critical care nurses encounter numerous work-related stressors that might lead to depression and anxiety. Areas with higher patient mortality can lead to burnout, higher turnover and death anxiety. The possession of resilience and good attitudes towards mental health is of utmost importance for nurses, given their role as influential figures within society. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between death anxiety and resilience among critical care nurses in Oman. This study employed a cross-sectional design with convenience sampling, sending 300 invitations via a URL link on a popular social media platform for critical care nurses in Oman. Out of 218 responses, the initial response rate was 72.7%. After data cleansing to remove incomplete and illegible submissions, the final sample consisted of 183 nurses who completed the Templer Death Anxiety Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The survey was conducted in December 2023. The study found that the mean death anxiety and resilience scores were 38.23 (SD = 6.96) and 37.62 (SD = 5.32), respectively. Most of the participants exhibited a low level of death anxiety and a moderate level of resilience. The results of this study found a significant proportional correlation between death anxiety and resilience among critical care nurses in Oman (p = .000); nurses with a higher degree of resilience were shown to be significantly correlated with a lower level of death anxiety. The results showed that resilience explained 14.9% of the variation in death anxiety. The research in Oman reveals that critical care nurses in the country experience moderate death fear. This anxiety stems from the demanding nature of their profession, which involves providing care for critically ill patients in high-pressure environments. Factors such as cultural and religious beliefs and educational attainment are also influencing this anxiety. Resilience is positively associated with the ability to confront challenges with courage, and a positive correlation exists between resilience and death anxiety. This suggests that nurses with higher resilience may also experience higher death anxiety because of their profession's inherent responsibilities and decision-making. The study on critical care nurses in Oman highlights that workplace stress and high death anxiety negatively impact their well-being and patient care quality. Factors like job demands, cultural beliefs and education influence these experiences, with resilience playing a key role in coping. Enhancing resilience and coping strategies can improve care quality and reduce turnover in nursing.

Death Anxiety: An Exploration of Professional Counselor Experiences.

This quantitative research study guided by Terror Management Theory (TMT) provides a theoretical framework to understand death anxiety among practicing counselors while providing support for implementing death education into counseling graduate programs. The total sample comprised 97 total practicing counselors and current counseling students who were recruited from online platforms consisting of professional memberships, listservs, private practice, and Facebook groups. This study explored the level of death anxiety in counselors (measured by the Death Anxiety Scale-Extended (DAS-E; Templer et al., 2006) and examined the relationships between religious and/or spiritual affiliation, death education exposure, and years of practice (measured by a demographic questionnaire) through an online survey that measured counselor's religious and/or spiritual affiliation, death education exposure, years of practice in the field, and their self-reported levels of death anxiety. A Pearson correlation indicated that religious and/or spiritual affiliation and death education were significantly positively associated with years of practice in the counseling field. A regression analysis revealed that death education significantly predicted death anxiety levels. The results of the study indicated that the more death education an individual had received the less likely they were to experience death anxiety. The findings of this study affirm the need for support of a death education curriculum and to encourage CACREP counseling graduate programs to promote knowledge and awareness around death in order to better prepare counseling master's students to serve clients.

Death Anxiety and Its Influencing Factors Among Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In China, caregiving for cancer patients is primarily the responsibility of family members. This role often exposes family caregivers to the contemplation of mortality. Death anxiety among family caregivers may influence the care they offer to cancer patients. This study aims to evaluate the prevailing level of death anxiety among Chinese family caregivers of cancer patients and identify its influencing factors. This cross-sectional study followed the STROBE statement. A total of 220 family caregivers of cancer patients were recruited from a prominent tertiary hospital in southern China. The survey included a general information questionnaire, the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale, the Social Support Rating Scale and the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire. In addition to descriptive statistics, ANOVA, mean differences, correlations and regression analyses were computed. The average score for death anxiety among family caregivers of cancer patients was 104.27 ± 21.02. Death anxiety was negatively correlated with a positive coping style and social support. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that marital status, death education, patients' fear of death and coping style accounted for 41.0% of the variance in death anxiety among family caregivers. Family caregivers of cancer patients experienced a moderate level of death anxiety. Individuals who were unmarried or divorced, lacked death education, had negative coping styles or cared for patients with fear of death tended to have high levels of death anxiety. Healthcare providers should act as credible educators to reduce caregivers' death anxiety by imparting positive coping styles and accurate knowledge and values about death so caregivers can provide high-quality care to patients.

The role of family support in managing death anxiety among the elderly

Death anxiety is a sentimental state experienced by individuals, specifically the elderly due to the occurrence of unpleasant events and contemplation of mortality. This condition is primarily caused by a lack of social support from family, which has a significant effect on mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the correlation between family support and the level of death anxiety in the elderly.The study procedures were carried out with a cross-sectional method, and the sample population comprised 239 elderly who were selected at a community health center in Malang Indonesia using cluster random sampling. Family support was measured using the Family Support Instrument (FSI), while death anxiety level was assessed with the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS).The relationship between the 2 variables was then tested using Spearman's Rank correlation test with p&lt;0.05. The results showed that there was a strong correlation between the 2 variables, with family support falling into the high category for 98 participants (41%). In addition, 117 participants (49.0%) were reported to have a low category of death anxiety level.To conclude, these findings could be applied and used as a reference for future studies by exploring variables and conditions influencing family support and the death anxiety level of the elderly.

The moderating effect of religiosity between climate change anxiety and death anxiety among a sample of Lebanese adults

BackgroundAcknowledging the increasing worry over climate change and its psychological effects, the aim of this research is to clarify the dynamics between religiosity, climate anxiety and death anxiety, seeking to figure out the way religiosity mitigates the psychological effects of existential anxieties and climate related anxiety.MethodsUsing Google Forms, a questionnaire was developed and disseminated through a variety of messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. Through a snowball sampling technique, 763 participants were recruited in this cross-sectional during September 2023.ResultsThe subsequent variables were adjusted in the moderation analysis: age, gender, and place of living. The results suggested that religiosity levels moderated the association between climate anxiety and death anxiety (Beta = 0.02, t = 1.97, p = .05, 95% CI 0.001, 0.035). At low, moderate, and high levels of religiosity, higher climate anxiety was significantly associated with more death anxiety. In addition, at low levels of climate anxiety, individuals with higher levels of religiosity (22.66) had more decreased levels of death anxiety compared to those with lower levels of religiosity (11.99). As climate anxiety levels increase, inverted patterns can be observed, with highly religious individuals showing higher levels of death anxiety than those with lower levels of religiosity. Overall, the relationship between climate anxiety and death anxiety was found to be weakest at low levels of religiosity and strongest at high levels of religiosity.ConclusionOur findings suggest a possible beneficial effect of high religiosity at low levels of climate anxiety. This effect is reversed as climate anxiety starts to increase. Therefore, clinicians and policy-makers should bear in mind these complex interactions when designing strategies to mitigate mental health problems in the context of climate crisis.

How a Child Understands Death: Attachment Theory Perspective

Background: Little is empirically known about how young children understand death or how this perception is affected by their attachment to parents. Method: One hundred and ten children between the ages of 5 and 10 years participated in this study, which assessed both children’s understanding of death and their fear of death. Parental attachment style was measured using parental self-report. Results: A correlation analysis found that a greater understanding of death was associated with lower levels of death anxiety when the children were securely attached. These results provide some empirical support for the widespread belief that discussing death and dying in biological terms is the best way to alleviate the fear of death in young children when parents have a strong bond with their children. Conclusion: Understanding of death and fear of death in children are associated with an insecure parental attachment style.

Death anxiety among caregivers of patients with advanced cancer: a cross-sectional survey.

This study aimed to investigate death anxiety (DA) in caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and identify associated factors in the context of Chinese culture. Caregivers (N = 588) of advanced cancer patients in a tertiary cancer hospital completed anonymous questionnaire surveys. Measures included the Chinese version of the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (C-T-DAS), the Quality-of-Life Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale. Data were analyzed in SPSS (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation test, and linear regression. Respondents returned 588 (93.03%) of the 632 questionnaires. The total C-T-DAS score was 7.92 ± 2.68 points. The top-scoring dimension was "Stress and pain" (3.19 ± 1.29 points), followed by "Emotion" (2.28 ± 1.31 points) and "Cognition" (1.40 ± 0.94 points). In contrast, the lowest-scoring dimension was "Time" (1.06 ± 0.77 points). Factors associated with DA (R2 = 0.274, F = 13.348, p < 0.001) included quality of life (QoL), trait anxious personality, social support, caregiver length of care, caregiver gender, and patients' level of activities of daily living (ADL). Our results demonstrated high levels of DA in caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. Generally, female caregivers and those with low social support had high DA. Caregivers caring for patients with low ADL levels or with a low QoL and trait anxious personality reported high DA. Certain associated factors help to reduce caregivers DA. Social interventions are recommended to improve the end-of-life transition and trait anxious personality as well as quality of life for caregivers.

Comparison of death anxiety symptoms between generalized anxiety disorder and somatization disorder in geriatric patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic for the first time

Somatic complaints are among the important complaints frequently seen in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD). Death anxiety has also increased significantly with the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the elderly population. In this study, we compared the difference of the death anxiety level among patients with GAD, SSD and healthy controls.This cross-sectional study which was carried out in Artvin State Hospital's Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic included 59 participants (GAD = 21, SSD = 18, HC = 20). Three groups were subjected to detailed psychiatric examination by the same psychiatrist. Subsequently, anxiety, somatic symptoms and death anxiety were assessed using standardized tools (GAD-7, Templer Death Anxiety Scale, Somatic Symptom Scale).The GAD-7 Scale mean of the GAD group was significantly higher than SSD (p = 0.001) and Healthy Control (HC) (p = 0.001) groups. Death anxiety and Somatic Symptom levels in GAD and SSD groups were significantly higher than in healthy controls. (GAD, p = 0.001; SSD, p = 0.001) with no significant difference between GAD and SSD groups (p = 1). Healthy controls exhibited significantly lower scores in the three scales mean scores compared to the SSD and GAD groups (p = 0.001).Irrespective of specific psychiatric diagnoses, these findings highlight elevated death anxiety in the elderly, underscoring the need for tailored mental health interventions.

Differential Anxiety Responses in Acute Myocardial Infarction vs. COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients.

Background and Objectives: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about the psychological impact of disease-related anxiety on public health have risen. This study aims to compare general and death anxiety levels between acute coronary artery syndrome and COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 132 individuals, including acute myocardial infarction (MI), COVID-19 pneumonia patients, and healthy volunteers from Trakya University Hospital (Turkey), was analyzed. Validated scales like the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Coronavirus Anxiety Scale Short Form, and Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety Scale (TPDAS) were employed. Demographic data such as age, gender, income levels, employment status, presence of a close relative with COVID-19, and whether participants followed COVID-19-related news were collected and compared across groups with significance level of 0.05 set for all analyses. Results: Among 41 COVID-19, 41 MI, and 50 healthy subjects, the pneumonia group showed highest COVID-19 anxiety (p = 0.01) and BAI scores (p = 0.008). Both COVID-19 and MI patients had significantly higher BAI and TPDAS scores compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Factors like female gender (p = 0.004), low education (p = 0.003), current employment (p = 0.008), and low income (p = 0.002) correlated with higher BAI scores. Low income (p = 0.001) and COVID-19 news exposure (p = 0.002) correlated with higher TPDAS scores. Males and married patients had lower anxiety scores (p = 0.008). High income, education, and employment reduced anxiety levels (p = 0.008). TPDAS scores decreased with higher income (p = 0.001), but increased in the MI group (p = 0.002) with COVID-19 news exposure. The multivariate linear regression analysis found that MI and COVID-19 pneumonia were associated with TPDAS; female gender, university education, and COVID-19 pneumonia with the Beck scale; and COVID-19 pneumonia with anxiety scores on the COVID-19 Anxiety scale. Conclusions: This research showcases differing anxiety patterns between illnesses such as MI and COVID-19 pneumonia amidst the pandemic, emphasizing the amplifying influence of media coverage on death-related anxieties. It underscores the imperative of targeted interventions and socioeconomic considerations in managing psychological consequences and formulating responsive public health strategies.

Death anxiety and religiosity in a multicultural sample: a pilot study examining curvilinearity, age and gender in Singapore.

This study investigated the association between multidimensional death anxiety and religiosity in multicultural Singapore by examining potential variations by age and gender. We also explored the possibility of a curvilinear effect, where highly religious or non-religious individuals report lower death anxiety than moderately religious people, forming an inverted U-curve pattern. Data were collected from 110 participants using questionnaires that assessed death anxiety and religiosity. Parametric and non-parametric tests were then conducted. The findings showed that women had significantly higher death anxiety and religiosity than men, and highly and moderately religious people had significantly higher death anxiety than non-religious people. People of all age groups had similar levels of death anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of developing targeted death anxiety interventions that integrate spiritual aspects in Singapore so that clinicians can provide culturally competent care.

Death Anxiety and Religious Coping in Heart Failure Patients.

This study was conducted to determine death anxiety and religious coping in heart failure patients. It was determined that 64% of the patients were male, the mean death anxiety score was 7.78 ± 3.91, 38% had ≤6 points and 62% had ≥7 points. Positive religious coping score was 20.54 ± 6.58 and negative religious coping score was 6.86 ± 3.18. Patients with a diagnosis of heart failure ≥3years had higher death anxiety levels. There was a weak positive correlation between death anxiety and positive and negative religious coping scores. Death anxiety and the number of days hospitalized were determined to predict positive religious coping in regression analysis. The model explained 7.6% of the total variance in positive religious coping. Heart failure patients were detected to have high death anxiety. Patients were observed to have high positive religious coping scores. As death anxiety increases, patients exhibit positive religious coping behavior.

Abstract PO2-05-10: 'I am Still Alive': An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Older Women Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Metastatic breast cancer (mBC) is cancer that has spread from the primary organ (breast) to other distant organs such as bone, spine, lungs, brain, and liver. It is a treatable but incurable cancer. While the burden of mBC is devastating to all patients, older mBC patients have poorer prognoses, poor access to care and experience social isolation. This current study is aimed to explore the experiences of older women living with mBC and the impact of belonging to a peer support group (PSG) in Nigeria. Method: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), eight women living with mBC aged 50 and above participated in the semi-structured interview. Results: Our findings showed that participants encountered psychological, physiological, and social challenges that are interrelated across four central themes: “Tormented by Pain,” “I am the One that is Going to Die,” “I am Not alone,” and “Winning the ‘war’ against mBC.” While the experiences of older women living with mBC were dominated by different levels of pain, death anxiety, stigma, and financial burden; belonging to a PSG brought participants hope, information, self-worth, and courage. Conclusion: This study has shown PSG should be an important component of cancer control. Hence, healthcare leaders should support and fund the establishment of PSG across Nigeria. Whether mBC is curable or not, the last days of older women living with mBC should be filled with dignity, peer support, and the absence of pain. Citation Format: Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Khadijat Banwo-Fatai, Agha A. Agha, Onyedikachi C. Nwakanma-Akanno, Donnette Narine, Takashi Yamashita, Alejandra Platas, Jennifer Kinney, Phyllis Cummins, Fatima Cardoso. 'I am Still Alive': An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Older Women Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-05-10.

The Relationship between the Perception of Aging and Death Anxiety in the Older Adults of Eastern Iran during COVID-19

The perception of aging is widely acknowledged as a key determinant of personal satisfaction with the aging process, and it marks an individual’s adaptability to life changes. As older adults encounter psychophysical changes and disabilities, thoughts surrounding mortality often become more pronounced, leading to a surge in death anxiety, which is recognized as prevalent psychological distress among this population. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between aging perception and death anxiety among older adults in Eastern Iran during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This descriptive-analytical study included 300 older adults (118 men and 182 women) using a stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic survey, Barker’s Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ), and Templer’s Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Data were analyzed in SPSS software (V.22) using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, independent t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. The mean aging perception score was 102.50 ± 15.55. After normalizing the scores, while the highest mean was related to the chronic and acute dimensions (65.32 ± 16.31), the lowest was related to the positive results dimension (65.29 ± 18.71). Also, the death anxiety score was 6.35 ± 1.99. The results from the linear regression analysis indicated an increase in negative emotions, correlating with an uptick in the death anxiety score (P=0.001). Furthermore, retired individuals had a higher death anxiety score than those still working (P=0.02). According to the results of this study, older adults with more negative emotions toward aging had higher death anxiety levels. Hence, interventions to foster positive emotions and attitudes towards aging are crucial to healthy aging. Moreover, considering the high level of death anxiety among retired people, further studies are required to investigate the mental health of this population.

Death Anxiety and Depression among Cancer Patients: Role of Perceived Social Support

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between death anxiety and depression in individuals coping with cancer, focusing specifically on the role of perceived social support as a protective factor. The sample consisted of 200 cancer patients (95 males, 105 females) from hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, spanning different age groups. Data were categorized by cancer stage and treatment types. Using a cross-sectional design and correlational approach, the study found excellent reliabilities for Perceived Social Support (? = .90) and good reliabilities for Depression and Death Anxiety (? = .83 and .85, respectively). Gender-based differences were not significant for depression (t = -.51, p &gt; .05) or perceived social support (t = -.23, p &gt; .05). Perceived social support was highest initially and declined as cancer progressed. Significant variance in social support was observed across cancer stages (p &lt; .05), with post hoc tests showing that 1st stage patients had significantly higher support than 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stage patients (MD = 7.27, p = 0.09). The study also showed gender differences in death anxiety, suggesting that women exhibited higher levels of death anxiety compared to men. Moreover, perceived social support was high at the 1st stage and significantly declined as the level progressed (3rd stage). The findings can be helpful for health professionals, psychologists and caregivers.

The relationship between fear of old age, loneliness and death anxiety in adults.

The increase in the number of elderly people in the world, individuals' perspectives on older adults, and false beliefs and ideas about old age negatively affect adults in terms of ageing. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between fear of old age, loneliness and death anxiety in adults. This study, which was designed in a correlational cross-sectional descriptive model, was conducted with 1074 adult individuals living in one province in eastern Turkey. Data were collected using Personal Information Form, Fear of Old Age Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale and Turkish Death Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, AMOS 24.0, G*Power 3.1 statistical package programs. In our study, it was determined that the model created in line with the hypotheses was compatible and the model fit indices were within the desired limits as χ2 /df = 4.737, root mean square error of approximation = 0.05, comparative fit index = 0.93, goodness-of-fit index = 0.92, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.90, IFI = 0.93. There is a significant relationship between loneliness and death anxiety (P < 0.05). There is a significant relationship between loneliness and fear of old age (P < 0.05). There is a significant relationship between death anxiety and fear of old age (P < 0.05). It was determined that death anxiety has a mediating role in the effect of loneliness on fear of old age (95% confidence interval: 0.112-0.226; P < 0.05). As the level of loneliness increases, the level of death anxiety and fear of old age increases. Fear of old age also increases in the mediating role of death anxiety. It is recommended to conduct intervention studies to reduce fear of old age. Longitudinal study on fear of old age is recommended.

The Relationship Between Fear of Death and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Individuals Having Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective: The study aims to investigate the relationship between fear of death and healthy lifestyle behaviors in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The sample number was determined to be 109. The study was carried out in the angiography unit and cardiology clinics of a hospital. Data were collected using the Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors II Scales.&#x0D; Results: The patients' death anxiety scale score was 55.17±11.52 and their healthy lifestyle behavior scale score was 123.51±14.56. A negative relationship (r = -0.683, p = 0.003) was found between death anxiety and healthy lifestyle behavior scales. As death anxiety increased, healthy lifestyle behaviors decreased. A negative correlation was found between death anxiety level and physical activity (r = -0.720, p=0.002). As physical activity decreased, death anxiety level increased.&#x0D; Conclusions: In order for patients to experience less death anxiety, the importance of a healthy lifestyle, such as diet, exercise, spiritual development, stress management, and a healthy social life, should be known. Healthy lifestyle education programs should be applied to patients. To ensure permanence, patients should be supported with visuals and brochures, and training should be repeated.

Death Anxiety in Patients with a History of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Spiritual Well-Being and Coping Strategies.

Patients who have previously undergone coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) were prone to death anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears that spiritual well-being and appropriate coping strategies may mitigate the harmful effects of death anxiety. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of death anxiety in patients with CABG during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate the relationship between spiritual well-being, coping strategies and death anxiety.This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients with CABG history in Tehran from June 2021 to February 2022. The face-to-face questionnaire, containing questions on demographics, Templer's death anxiety scale, the spiritual well-being questionnaire, and the ways of coping questionnaire was administered to collect data. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive-analytical statistics, correlation tests, and logistic regression models.Participants' mean age was 55.59 ± 12.78 years. The mean death anxiety score was 10.00 ± 2.16, with 87% of participants reporting high levels and 13% reporting low levels of death anxiety. Based on the results, there was a significant negative correlation between death anxiety and coping strategies, as well as subscales of distancing, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, and planful problem-solving. Logistic regression showed that with the increase in the score of spiritual well-being, the odds of having high levels of death anxiety decreased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, increasing the total score of coping strategies, and the score of self-controlling, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, and planful problem-solving, significantly reduced the odds of high levels of death anxiety (p < 0.05).The study showed that patients with a CABG history experienced high death anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the findings, spiritual well-being and coping strategies, especially self-controlling, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, and planful problem-solving,may reduce the odds of severe death anxiety. These should be considered as effective targets for psychological intervention in these patients.

The Investigation of Death Anxiety and Spiritual Well-Being Levels of Family Members of Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit.

This study aimed to investigate the death anxiety (DA) and spiritual well-being (SWB) levels of first-degree family members of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). The data of this descriptive correlational type of study were collected through a faceto-face interview and survey with 308 family members who came to visit family members treated in the ICU of a public hospital in the western province of Turkey. Results were analyzed with SPSS software version 22. The average Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) score of the family members is 7.99 (3.15), which is above the middle value (min/max; 0-15), and the average Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) score is 121.83 (12.91), which is relatively high (min/max; 29-145). A positive, weak, and significant correlation existed between DAS and SWBS mean scores (r=0.20; P<0.05). As a result, the DA levels of family members increase with the thought of losing their patients in the ICU. During this period, family members of patients need spirituality more than ever to cope with increasing DA. In this study, a positive and significant correlation was found between the DA levels and SWB levels of the family members. According to this result, as family members' DA increases, their spiritual needs also increase.