A Comparative Study of Measures of General Anxiety and Death Anxiety among Three Medical Groups Including Patient and Wife

Abstract

A problem not yet extensively researched among hemodialysis patients and their families concerns matters of dying and death. This paper presents a comparative study of general and death anxiety among three different groups of physically ill males (center and home hemodialysis patients and surgery patients) and their wives. The MMPI, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Templer's Death Anxiety Scale were administered to all S's. In addition a Death Questionnaire was used in a structured interview setting with dialysis patients and their spouses in their homes. General and death anxiety scores of male and female Ss were compared. Husband-wife correlation coefficients were determined for measures obtained. Inter-correlations of the measures used were also determined.