An Evaluation of Death Depression and Death Anxiety in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the level of death depression and death anxiety in patients with COPD. Method: The sample of this cross-sectional and descriptive study including patients' views consisted of 104 patients diagnosed with COPD and hospitalized in a hospital's pulmonary disease clinic in Turkey. Number, percentage, mean, regression, and correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Results: The most disturbing symptom of COPD was found to be dyspnea (71.2%), cough (17.3%), and sputum (11.5%). 44.2% of the patients had mild, 40.4% had moderate death anxiety levels, and 51% were in a depressive mood. According to the regression analysis, the death depression total score is predictable based on marital status, disease duration, presence of respiratory disease in patients, and patients' selfcare levels (R: 0.556, R2: 0.310, F: 3.401, p: 0.000). The Anxiety about Death Process-Pain and Suffering subscale score is also predictable depending on the marital status, duration of the disease, desire to know the truth in case of deadly disease, and the level of meeting self-care needs (R: 0.563, R2: 0.317, F: 3.520, p: 0.000). Conclusion: Nurses should monitor the following patients more closely in terms of death depression and death anxiety; those with high dyspnea, those with a history of respiratory disease, single or widowed patients, those with a disease of long duration, those who have difficulties meeting self-care needs and those who do not want to know the diagnosis in case of a deadly disease.