The Association Between Social Support and Spirituality with Death Anxiety among the Elderly in Khorramabad During COVID-19 Pandemic

Ekhtiarzadeh, Masoumeh; Kamran, Aziz; Heydari Ara, Milad; Birjandi, Mehdi; Heydari, Heshmatolah

doi:10.22087/ijac.2024.508283.1052

The Association Between Social Support and Spirituality with Death Anxiety among the Elderly in Khorramabad During COVID-19 Pandemic

Document Type : Research

Authors

Masoumeh Ekhtiarzadeh ¹

Aziz Kamran ²

Milad Heydari ara ³

Mehdi Birjandi ¹

Heshmatolah Heydari ⁴^{, 5}

¹ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

² Public Health Department, Ardabil, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.

³ School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

⁴ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

⁵ French Institute of Research and High Education (IFRES-INT), Paris, France

10.22087/ijac.2024.508283.1052

Abstract

Death anxiety can adversely impact the lives and mental health of the elderly. Identifying the factors influencing death anxiety in the elderlies is essential for managing and preventing this phenomenon. This study aimed to examine the relationship between social support, spirituality, and death anxiety among elderly individuals in Khorramabad during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted with 200 elderly participants in Khorramabad in 2021. Data were collected using Phillips’ Perceived Social Support Survey, Pulotzin Spiritual Well-being Scale, and Templer Death Anxiety Scale. SPSS v.19 software was employed for data analysis, utilizing appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics, with the significance level set at P < 0.05. The mean and standard deviation of death anxiety, spiritual well-being, and adequate social support among the participants were 2.97±3.77, 105.36 ± 9.68, and 99.62 ± 12.36, respectively. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that spirituality (B = - 0.05, P = 0.036), aging (B = - 0.08, P = 0.008), and a history of chronic diseases (B = - 0.982, P = 0.025) significantly reduced death anxiety among the elderly. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, death anxiety remains low among the elderly. Further research is warranted to identify the determinants and predictors of death anxiety in this population. It is also recommended to implement necessary measures and interventions to manage and reduce death anxiety in the elderly.

Keywords

Social support

Spirituality

Death anxiety

Aged

COVID-19

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