Death anxiety among Chinese elderly people in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVES This study aims to examine the cognitive and emotional reactions of Chinese elderly people toward death, to extend the use of a Western scale on death anxiety to a Chinese sample, and to explore the correlates of death anxiety. METHODS A community sample of 237 Chinese elderly people (62 men and 175 women) in Hong Kong between the ages of 60 and 91 years old was individually interviewed. RESULTS Among this elderly cohort, a high level of death anxiety was associated with younger age, a high level of psychological distress, and the presence of recent stressors but was unrelated to number of physical disorders, gender, personal income, marital and employment status, and religious affiliations. DISCUSSION Reactions of Chinese elderly people toward specific death-related issues were discussed with regard to Chinese cultural beliefs. Limitations and implications of the present study were also discussed.