Relationship between Spirituality and Death Anxiety in Patients with Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

Background and Cancer is a highly prevalent disease that could cause psychological and emotional complications such as death anxiety. On the other hand, spiritual well-being is an inherent element of health and may enhance patients’ adaptability to cope with their disease and associated anxiety. This study was done to determine the effect of spirituality in predicting death anxiety in patients with cancer.
This descriptive-correlational study was done in patients (n=100) with cancer in Sari, Iran 2017. The participants were selected using convenience sampling in Imam Khomeini Hospital. Data was collected by a demographic questionnaire, Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Spirituality Questionnaire (SQ). The data was analyzed using Pearson correlation and Regression analysis.
The death anxiety score in 49% of the patients was high (higher than 8). The mean score for death anxiety and spirituality was 8.39±2.96 and 85.44±11.59, respectively. There was no relation between death anxiety and spirituality (P>0.05), but there were relations between death anxiety and dimensions of spirituality. Death anxiety level was highly correlated with spiritual practices dimension but had the least correlation with spiritual needs. Higher levels of spiritual practices can decrease the level of patient’s death anxiety.
According to findings, spiritual practices dimension is a suitable predictor of death anxiety in patients with cancer, therefore, spirituality training might decrease the incidence or level of their death anxiety.