Death anxiety and its relationship with the perception of aging in older adults visiting comprehensive healthcare centers: Evidence from a cross-sectional study in southern Iran

Abstract Background and Aim: Death anxiety is one of the most important developments in old age, which reduces the general functioning and psychological well-being of older adults and changes people’s perception of aging. The present study aimed to examine death anxiety and its relationship with the perception of aging in older adults visiting comprehensive healthcare centers in southern Iran. Materials and Methods This study was conducted using a correlational cross-sectional design. The research population included all elderly people over 60 years old supported by a university of medical sciences and medical services in southern Iran in 2021. The participants in the research sample were 231 older adults selected using cluster sampling. The data were collected using the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) and Aging Perception Questionnaire (APQ). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test, ANOVA, Spearman’s correlation test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test with SPSS software (version 23). A significance level of less than 0.05 was considered in this study. Results The participants’ mean age was 72.56 ± 9.04 years. Besides, most of the participants (129 persons (55.8%) were female, 177 persons (76.6%) were married, 118 persons (51.1%) were illiterate, and more than half of them had a monthly income level of less than one million Tomans. The mean score of death anxiety and perception of aging was 6.39 ± 4.06 and 110.29 ± 18.40, respectively. Moreover, there was a positive and significant relationship between death anxiety and perception of aging (r = 0.23; P < 0.05) in older adults. The data also indicated that death anxiety and perception of aging had a significant relationship with the place of residence, age, and the number of children (P < 0.05). Conclusion The present study showed that the older adults in this study experienced a moderate level of death anxiety. Furthermore, since death anxiety had a direct and significant relationship with the perception of aging, innovative interventions can be conducted to educate older adults to cope directly with their death anxiety and improve their mental health. In addition, the related authorities need to devise effective plans and policies to reduce death anxiety and improve positive perceptions of older adults about aging.