The correlation between death anxiety, loneliness and hope levels in patients treated in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Background: A sense of hope plays an important role in relieving stress and psychological distress of cardiology patients, as well as improving their physical well-being.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between death anxiety, loneliness and hope levels in patients receiving treatment in a cardiac intensive care unit (ICU).

Design: This is a prospective, descriptive and correlational study.

Methods: The study was completed with 150 cardiac ICU patients in Istanbul, Turkey. The data were collected using a Patient Information Form, the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS), the Herth Hope Index (HHI) and the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS).

Results: The patients had a mean age of 63.56 ± 12.74 years. Most of the patients (82%) were treated in the ICU for heart failure. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between total scores of TDAS and UCLA-LS (r = .337; p < .001) and a statistically significant negative correlation between total scores of UCLA-LS and HHI (r = -.292; p < .001). Also, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between the scores of UCLA-LS and Positive Readiness and Expectancy Subscale (r = -.164; p = .044). The multiple linear regression indicated that the model was statistically significant (F = 7.177, p < .001). The variables of age and UCLA-LS among those included in the model were statistically significant predictors of the death anxiety scores of the patients (23.1%) (p < .05).

Conclusions: The cardiology patients who received treatment in the ICU had a high level of death anxiety and moderate levels of loneliness and hope. The age and loneliness level were statistically significant predictors of death anxiety.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: It is recommended that individualized nursing care be planned and provided to conscious cardiology patients who are treated in the ICU, considering their age and loneliness levels and that nursing care be planned for individuals who are at risk of fear, anxiety, loneliness and hopelessness by periodically assessing their death anxiety, loneliness and hope levels.