Death Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients Admitted to Panj-Azar Teaching Hospital, ۲۰۱۳

Background and Objective: Patients with  life threatening diseases have to deal with the death issue. One of the common psychological problem is anxiety esp. death anxiety . This study aimed to  determine the level of death anxiety in hemodialysis patients. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study  was conducted  on all ۱۵۰ patients admitted to Panj-azar teaching hospital for hemodialysis, ۲۰۱۳. The data was collected by demographic checklist and Templer Death Anxiety questionnaire scoring ۰ to ۱۵ (۰-۶ for low, ۷-۹ for moderate and ۱۰-۱۵ for high anxiety).  We analyzed the data  by independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient (P<۰.۰۵). Results: Twenty-four point seven percent of the patients had low , ۱۰%  average  and ۶۵.۳% of them had high death anxiety. Average scores of death anxiety in men and in women were ۸.۲۱±۴.۸۲ and ۱۱.۹۵±۳.۸۱, respectively. The relationship of death anxiety with sex (P<۰.۰۰۱), employment status (P<۰.۰۰۱), and age (P<۰.۰۰۲) was significant. Conclusion: Bases on the results, the death anxiety is high in more than half of the patients with hemodialysis.