COMPARISON OF DEATH ANXIETY, SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND LONELINESS AMONG ELDERLY MEN AND WOMEN IN ELDERLY CENTERS OF KERMANSHAH

Getting old is a growing phenomenon in the world, including Iran, which is evident in comparing the results of the recent years' censuses. The main aim of this study is to compare death anxiety, spiritual health and loneliness among elderly men and women in elderly centers in Kermanshah. The type of this research is causal-comparative. The statistical population of the research included all elderly people in Kermanshah. 126 people were selected through available sampling method. To measure variables, a) Collett-Lester Depression Anxiety Scale; B) Loneliness Questionnaire; and (c) Spiritual Health scale was used. T-test was used to analyze the data. The results showed that there is a significant difference between men and women regarding death anxiety, spiritual health and loneliness, such that the mean scores of the two components of self-death and dying in elderly women were higher than elderly men, the mean of two components of spiritual health (existential health and religious health) in elderly women were higher than elderly men and the mean of two components of loneliness due to family relationships and emotional symptoms of loneliness were higher in elderly men than elderly women.