Relationship Between Spiritual Wellbeing with Anxiety Sensitivity in Older Women Referred to Health Centers in Ashtian, Iran

Due to the increasing number of older women with anxiety sensitivity, attention to this condition in this vulnerable group is of particular importance. Spiritual wellbeing can promote the mental health of the elderly, especially older women. this study aims to determine the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and anxiety sensitivity of older women in Ashtian, Iran.

This is a descriptive-correlational study. The study population includs all older women referred to urban and rural health centers in Ashtian city. Of these, 160 were selected by a continuous sampling method. A demographic form, the Spiritual Wellbeing Scale and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised were used to collect information. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software, version 16.

The mean±sd total scores of spiritual wellbeing and anxiety sensitivity were 96.1±19.86 and 48.25±31.93, respectively. Spiritual wellbeing had a significant association with anxiety sensitivity in older women (r=-0.734, P<0.001).

There is a negative and significant relationship between spiritual wellbeing and anxiety sensitivity in older women in Iran, such that their anxiety sensitivity decreases with the increase of their spiritual wellbeing  Attention to the spiritual wellbeing of older women in Iran is necessary to reduce their anxiety sensitivity.