The relationship between religious orientation and death anxiety in patients with breast cancer

Introduction: Breast Cancer is the most common malignancy and is the second largest cause of death in women. One of the important psychological factors in these patients is a death anxiety and Given the role of religious orientation to this psychological factor, this study aimed toinvestigate the relationship between religious orientation and death anxiety in patients with breast cancer in Kermanshah. Material and Method: In this cross-sectional study on 48 patients with breast cancer referred to the oncology department of Imam Reza Hospital, we used Templer Death Anxiety and Alport religious orientation Scale and finally data analyzed by using SPSS version 22. Results: The highest and lowest scores of religious orientation in these patients were 76 and 48, the average scores were 65.31. The highest and lowest death anxiety scores obtained in these patients was 14 and 2 and the results showed that 72.9% of the patients studied had high death anxiety. As well as In this study, the relationship between religious orientation and death anxiety was no significant and relationship between age groups and religious orientation was not significant but difference was significant with death anxiety. Conclusion: Due to the high death anxiety and the role of religious orientation in these patients, adequate training to deal with death and death anxiety awareness and religion-based treatment in patients with cancer in the oncology and radiotherapy department is recommended.

Keywords:

Breast Cancer , death anxiety , religious orientation