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

Abstract

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.