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Atashkar Z, Sedaghati kesbakhi M. The Relationship Between Death Anxiety and Life Expectancy and Depression in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis. CPR 2026; 3 (2) :107-116
URL: http://cpr.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-122-en.html

Background and Objective: Given the increasing prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iran and its associated physical and psychological burdens, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between death anxiety, life expectancy, and depression in patients with MS.
Materials & Methods: This descriptive–correlational study was conducted on 320 patients with MS registered with the Tehran MS Association between March and April 2023. Using a convenience sampling method, 173 patients were selected for the final sample. Data were collected using the Beck depression inventory-II, the Templer death anxiety scale, and the Snyder Life Expectancy Scale. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis via SPSS software, version 23.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.26±5.75 years, and the majority were female (74.6%). A significant positive correlation was observed between death anxiety and depression (r=0.394, P<0.001), while a significant negative correlation was found between life expectancy and depression (r=–0.251, P<0.001). Furthermore, the results of the multiple regression analysis showed a corrected coefficient of determination of 0.458, indicating that death anxiety, life expectancy, and demographic variables (number of children, gender, marital status, and education) accounted for 45.8% of the variance in depression levels among patients with MS.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that increased death anxiety is associated with higher levels of depression, whereas increased life expectancy is associated with decreased levels of depression.