The Mediating Role of Perceived Stress in the Relationship Between the Meaning of Life and Death Anxiety in Iranian Nurses

Background & Aims Nursing critically ill patients can lead to death anxiety. Some factors can predict death anxiety in nurses, one of which is the meaning of life. There are factors that can strengthen or weaken the relationship between death anxiety and the meaning of life in nurses, one of which is perceived stress. This study aims to assess the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between the meaning of life and death anxiety in nurses. Materials & Methods This is a correlational study using structural equation modeling (SEM). The participants were 240 nurses working in public hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, in 2023. They were selected using a convenience sampling method from two hospitals. The data collection tools included a demographic form, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Pearson’s correlation test and SEM were used for data analysis in SPSS software, version 23 and Amos software. Results Out of 240 participants, 230 answered the questionnaires completely. Most of them were female (71%) and married (70%). The mean MLQ score was 50.14±9.92, the mean PSS score was 21.28±4.49, and the mean DAS score was 7.67±2.45. The analyses showed that meaning in life was negatively related to death anxiety (β=-0.160, P=0.009), while perceived stress was positively related to death anxiety (β=0.216, P=0.002). Also, the indirect relationship between the meaning of life and death anxiety through perceived stress was negative and significant (β=-0.702, P=0.006). Conclusion There is a negative relationship between the meaning of life and death anxiety in Iranian nurses. Perceived stress can exacerbate death anxiety in Iranian nurses. In this regard, it is recommended to hold stress management and death awareness courses for nurses to control their death anxiety and stress.