Death Anxiety among Chinese Elderly People in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the cognitive and emotional reactions of Chinese elderly people toward death, to extend the use of a Western scale on death anxiety to a Chinese sample, and to explore the correlates of death anxiety. METHODS: A community sample of 237 Chinese elderly people (62 men and 175 women) in Hong Kong between the ages of 60 and 91 years old was individually interviewed. RESULTS: Among this elderly cohort, a high level of death anxiety was associated with younger age, a high level of psychological distress, and the presence of recent stressors but was unrelated to number of physical disorders, gender, personal income, marital and employment status, and religious affiliations. DISCUSSION: Reactions of Chinese elderly people toward specific death-related issues were discussed with regard to Chinese cultural beliefs. Limitations and implications of the present study were also discussed.