The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Death Anxiety and Spiritual Care in Oncology Patients

Background: Concerns that the diseases of individuals with non-coronavirus disease 2019 (non-COVID-19) conditions will progress, their symptoms will worsen, their treatments will be prolonged, and morbidity and mortality will increase due to fears of disease transmission or contagion during the pandemic have affected all individuals. It is important to recognize the death anxiety of oncology patients, especially those who may have high levels of death anxiety, and to support their spiritual care.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on death anxiety and the level of spirituality and spiritual care in oncology patients, as well as to identify the relationship between these variables.

Methods: In this study, 204 patients diagnosed with cancer were recruited through an online application. Data were collected using an individual identification form, Death Anxiety Scale, and the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS). A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The “Mann-Whitney U” test (Z-table value) was used for comparing measurement values of two independent groups in data not having a normal distribution;
the “Kruskal-Wallis H” test (χ2-table value) was used to compare three or more independent groups. The “Spearman correlation test” was performed to determine the relationship
between scale scores.

Results: The mean age of the patients in this study was 60.72 ± 14.36 years. The mean death anxiety score was found to be 11.19 ± 1.79, and the mean SSCRS score was 30.50 ± 4.65. Statistically significant differences were found in death anxiety and SSCRS scores according to the age groups of the patients and the presence of other chronic diseases (P > 0.05). In addition, a statistically significant difference was found in terms of death anxiety scale scores according to the diagnosis of COVID-19 (P < 0.05). There was a negative, very weak and statistically significant relationship between the patients’ spirituality and spiritual care and death anxiety scale scores (r=-0.157; P = 0.025).

Conclusion: It has been determined that oncology patients have high death anxiety and a moderate perception of spirituality and spiritual care during the COVID-19 pandemic process.