THANATOPHOBIA IN HOSPITALIZED VS NON-HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: The cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the biggest killer globally, responsible for the deaths of 17.9 million people each year. Up to 70% of those who suffer from a case of cardiovascular disease experience spells of death anxiety (thanatophobia), which is marked by the fear of death or the dying process, and is a very intense force. Nevertheless, there are few studies that have tried to make comparisons between the anxiety of death in hospitalized and non-hospitalized individuals with CVD. Objectives: To estimate the death anxiety level among people hospitalized for cardiovascular disease and to investigate gender difference in death anxiety among them. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted with 148 patients having CVD, 74 from hospitals and 74 non-hospitalized patients, with 36 male and 38 female patients of age 35-83 years, who were selected from four hospitals in Sialkot, Pakistan. There was death anxiety measured through the Urdu translated version of Templer's Death Anxiety Scale which was validated by Azeem & Naz (2015). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test and one way ANOVA. Results: Female patients had significantly higher death anxiety than males (p<.001), while hospitalization status showed no significant difference. Additional physical illness marginally increased death anxiety (p=.058), and the death of a significant other was linked to higher death anxiety (p=.003). News program viewers also reported significantly higher death anxiety than entertainment program viewers (p<.001).

Keywords: Death Anxiety, Cardiovascular Disease, Hospitalization, Thanatophobia, Pakistan, Gender Differences, Bereavement