Examining the relationship between death anxiety and social support in individuals with coronary artery disease.

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between death anxiety and social support in individuals with coronary artery disease. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 230 individuals with coronary artery disease who were treated in the cardiology service between January and September 2024 and met the inclusion criteria. Research data were collected using the 'Introductory Information Form', 'Death Anxiety Scale' and 'Social Support Scale in Chronic Diseases'. In the evaluation of the data; number, percentage, arithmetic mean and hypothesis tests, the significance test of the difference between two means was used for variables with two categories, while ANOVA test was used for variables with more than two categories. Pearson correlation analysis was used in the correlation analysis. More than half of the individuals who participated in the study (68.70%) were 65 years of age and under, and 54.78% were femal e. While the total Death Anxiety Scale score average of the individuals who participated in the study was 8.20±4.00; The total mean score of the Social Support Scale in Chronic Diseases was found to be 174.22±32.69. It was determined that the total mean score of the two scales was high. It was found that the participants' age, gender, marital status, education status, diet, salt restriction, regular medication use, chronic disease status, and previous hospitalization status affected the total mean scores of the Death Anxiety Scale and the mean scores of the Social Support Scale in Chronic Diseases (p<0.05). As a result of the study, a weak negative relationship was found between death anxiety and social support in individuals with coronary artery disease (r=-0.224, p<0.01). It was determined that as the social support levels of individuals with coronary artery disease increased, their death anxiety levels decreased. It is thought that health care professionals should evaluate individuals at risk in particular and provide them with psychological and social support, which will reduce death anxiety and contribute positively to the recovery process.