Researchers from the Clinical Psychophysiology and Health Promotion Research Group (CTS-261) at the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center of the University of Granada (UGR), in collaboration with other entities, have delved into the study of death anxiety, focusing on caregivers of individuals with chronic illness.
The fear of death is an emotion deeply rooted in the human condition. It refers to the anxiety, worry, or distress we experience when contemplating our own mortality, that of our loved ones, or even individuals in our continuous contact environment. This fear can arise from uncertainty about what happens after death, the pain of loss, separation from loved ones, or the unknown process of dying itself.
The fear of death can also be influenced by our cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs, as well as our personal experiences with loss and grief. Often, the fear of death can lead to reflection on the meaning of life and personal identity.
The main objective of this research was to determine to what extent caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses experience death anxiety, especially in cases where patients suffer from severe, potentially fatal, or lethal chronic diseases. The study also aimed to compare death anxiety experienced by these caregivers with that experienced by patients and analyze possible variables in both the caregiver and the sick person that could influence their anxiety levels.
The results show that, overall, caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses experience significant levels of death anxiety, which may even be similar to those experienced by patients. No relevant differences have been found in the levels of death anxiety experienced by patients and caregivers. Various sociodemographic and psychological factors, such as gender or levels of depression and anxiety, could influence the degree of death anxiety experienced by these individuals.
This study highlights the importance of further research on this topic, considering the negative impact that death anxiety has on the quality of life for both caregivers and patients.
Full reference:
Quevedo-Blasco, R., Díaz-Román, A., & Vega-García, A. (2024). Death Anxiety in Caregivers of Chronic Patients. Healthcare, 12, 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12010107
Contact Researcher:
Raúl Quevedo-Blasco (rquevedo@ugr.es)