Mani Arash, Fereidooni Reza, Salehi-Marzijarani Mohammad, Ardekani Ali, Sasannia Sarvin, Habibi Pardis, Zarei Leila, Heydari Seyed Taghi, Lankarani Kamran B
Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavior Science, Hafez Hospital Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz Iran.
Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz Iran.
Health Sci Rep. 2022 Jun 19;5(4):e706. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.706. eCollection 2022 Jul.
COVID-19 has adversely impacted the public's mental health. One of the causes of psychopathology during the present pandemic is death anxiety and fear of COVID-19. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of death anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in Shiraz city, south of Iran.
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 982 participants in Shiraz from October to November 2021. Data were collected using Templer's Death Anxiety Scale and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Trained interviewers collected data throughout different city districts. A data-driven approach (latent class analysis) was applied to categorize the participants and determine the risk factors.
Among the participants, 507 (51.6%) were female, and 475 (48.4%) were male. The participants' mean age was 38.26 ± 15.16 years. Based on the analysis, 259 (26.4%), 512 (52.1%), and 211 (21.5%) participants had low, moderate, and severe levels of death anxiety. Also, 393 (40.06%) and 588 (59.94%) of the participants had low and high levels of fear, respectively. Higher death anxiety was significantly associated with being female, having an associate degree, being retired, share of medical expenditure from total expenditure of more than 10%, having a history of hospital admission due to COVID-19, history of COVID-19 in relatives, and having fear of COVID-19. Also, being female, expenses equal to income, history of hospital admission due to COVID-19, death in relatives, and higher death anxiety were linked to higher levels of fear of COVID-19.
Death anxiety and fear of COVID-19 are closely associated with each other and affected by various sociodemographic and economic factors. Given this pandemic's unpredictable nature and chronicity, interventions at the community level to support high-risk groups are crucial.
新冠疫情对公众心理健康产生了不利影响。当前疫情期间精神病理学的原因之一是死亡焦虑和对新冠病毒的恐惧。本研究旨在确定伊朗南部设拉子市死亡焦虑和对新冠病毒恐惧的患病率及风险因素。
本横断面研究于2021年10月至11月在设拉子的982名参与者中进行。使用坦普勒死亡焦虑量表和对新冠病毒恐惧量表收集数据。经过培训的访谈者在不同城区收集数据。采用数据驱动方法（潜在类别分析）对参与者进行分类并确定风险因素。
参与者中，507名（51.6%）为女性，475名（48.4%）为男性。参与者的平均年龄为38.26±15.16岁。基于分析，259名（26.4%）、512名（52.1%）和211名（21.5%）参与者分别有低、中、高程度的死亡焦虑。此外，393名（40.06%）和588名（59.94%）参与者分别有低和高程度的恐惧。较高的死亡焦虑与女性、拥有副学士学位、退休、医疗支出占总支出比例超过10%、有因新冠病毒住院史、亲属有新冠病毒感染史以及对新冠病毒有恐惧显著相关。此外，女性、支出等于收入、有因新冠病毒住院史、亲属死亡以及较高的死亡焦虑与较高程度的对新冠病毒恐惧相关。
死亡焦虑和对新冠病毒的恐惧相互密切关联，并受到各种社会人口学和经济因素的影响。鉴于此次疫情的不可预测性和长期性，在社区层面针对高危群体的干预措施至关重要。
