Death Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients before and during the Outbreak of COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study
Abstract
Objective: To study the occurrence of death anxiety among hemodialysis patients before and during COVID-19.
Study Design: Longitudinal study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out from November 2019 to May 2020 at Pakistan Kidney
Patients Association, Rawalpindi.
Materials and Methods: Data was collected, with formal written consent,from hemodialysis patients, through
convenient sampling technique in two phases. In phase I, pre COVID 19 pandemic period data of 110 subjects
and inphase II, COVID 19 pandemic era, data of 83 subjectswerecollected. Demographic variablesand death
anxiety scale were used for descriptive analysis.
Results: The study results have shown that patients, in the pre pandemic period, had mild level of death anxiety,
despite having comorbid chronic illnesses like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, depression and hepatitis.
However, during COVID 19 pandemic death anxiety experienced among the participants, ranged between mild
to severe level.
Conclusion: The surge in new cases of COVID-19 and deaths, together with the barrage of information to which
population is submitted through media, care takers and doctors has influenced the mentality of patients,
resulting into variation in death anxiety among hemodialysis patients. It is concluded that occurrence of death
anxiety before and during COVID -19 influence the mental health of patients.
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