Relationship of daily spiritual experiences with life expectancy and death anxiety in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

Aim. This study aimed to determine the relationship of spiritual experiences with the life expectancy and death anxiety in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Background. The patients undergoing CABG experience a critical situation that requires taking into account such factors as life expectancy, spiritual experience, and death anxiety. During taking care of these patients, nurses must consider these experiences and their relationship.
Method. In this descriptive-analytic study, 150 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery in hospitals located in Kerman city, Iran, were recruited within an 8 months period in 2015. Data were collected using a questionnaire including demographic data, Templer Death Anxiety Scale, Adult Hope Scale and the Scale of Daily Spiritual Experiences (DSES). Data were analyzed in SPSS version 20 using Pearson correlation test, Independent T-test, ANOVA and multiple linear regression.
Findings. There was a statistically significant negative correlation of daily spiritual experiences with death anxiety (p=0.004) and death anxiety with life expectancy (p≤0.0001). There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between spiritual experiences and life expectancy (p≤0.0001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age and life expectancy predicted 61 percent of changes related to spiritual experiences.
Conclusion. The findings suggest that paying attention to spiritual experiences of patients may increase life expectancy and reduce the death anxiety. It is suggested to include supporting, facilitating and attending to the spiritual needs of patients in nursing care plans for these patients.