Death Obsession, COVID-19-Related Fear and Religiosity in People Living with Type 2 Diabetes

Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were included among high-risk groups for more severe manifestations in case of COVID-19 infection and higher risk of mortality. The current study aims to (1) examine the relationship between death obsession, religiosity, and fear of COVID-19 among type 2 diabetes patients, and (2) assess if religiosity moderates the relationship between death obsession and fear of COVID-19. This cross-sectional online survey involved 306 type 2 diabetes patients. We found that 35.6 % of the participants were overweight and 14.6 % were suffering from obesity. Results showed that death obsession was positively associated with fear of COVID-19 and more religious individuals experience higher levels of fear. The overall level of religiosity did not moderate the relationship between death obsession and fear of COVID-19 but only the preoccupation with God dimension of the religiosity scale. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Automated summary

This study investigated the relationship between death obsession, religiosity, and fear of COVID-19 among patients with type 2 diabetes. The results revealed a positive association between death obsession and fear of COVID-19, and individuals with higher levels of religiosity experienced greater levels of fear. The overall level of religiosity did not moderate the relationship between death obsession and fear of COVID-19, but only the preoccupation with God dimension of religiosity had a moderating effect.