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Factors Related to Death Literacy among Iranian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Mahdi Abdorrashidi    , Sobhan Eisazadeh , Hadis Ashrafizadeh , Mahmood Salesi , Salman Barasteh * , Maryam Rassouli , Mohsen Mollahadi |
| Nursing Care Research Center, Clinical Science Institute and Nursing Faculty of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran & , Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences , s.barasteh@gmail.com |
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Abstract: (150 Views) |
Background & aim: Medical science students, due to the nature of their field of study and educational environment, encounter death-related situations more frequently than other students. Therefore, possessing a higher level of knowledge and skills related to death- known as “death literacy”- can help them reflect on death and play a more effective role in accessing, understanding, and making informed decisions about death and end-of-life care options. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to identify factors associated with death literacy among Iranian medical students in 2024.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2024 on 440 medical science students in Tehran. Convenience sampling was performed using an online questionnaire. The research instruments included a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Death Literacy Index, which was translated into Persian using the forward–backward translation method. Before the study began, the research objectives and procedures were explained to participants, and questionnaires were completed confidentially after obtaining informed consent. Independent t-tests and hierarchical regression analysis were used to examine factors influencing death literacy. A significance level of 0.05 was considered for all tests.
Results: A total of 440 medical science students with a mean age of 22.79 ± 4.25 years participated in the study. Independent t-test results indicated that six factors were significantly associated with death literacy: males had higher death literacy scores than females (P = 0.002); Persian ethnicity had lower death literacy compared to other ethnicities (P = 0.02); caring for a family member for more than three months was associated with higher death literacy (P<0.001); greater interaction with neighbors (P<0.001), positive evaluation of religious beliefs (P<0.001), and having someone trustworthy to seek help from (P = 0.04) were also associated with higher death literacy. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the final model explained 11.9% of the variance in death literacy (F = 8.88, P<0.001), and gender (P = 0.03), religious beliefs (P = 0.04), caregiving experience for a family member (P<0.001), interaction with neighbors (P<0.001), and having someone to receive help from (P = 0.02) remained significant predictors.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the level of death literacy among medical science students is influenced by a combination of individual and social factors. The results indicated that gender, religious beliefs, long-term caregiving experience, social interaction with neighbors, and having a trusted person to seek help from are the most important predictors of death literacy. Given the role of these factors, designing educational and supportive interventions that incorporate practical experiences, strengthen social connections, and address cultural and religious dimensions may improve death literacy among students. These findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to teaching topics related to death and end-of-life care. |
Article number: 6 |
| Keywords: Death, Death Literacy, Mortality, Palliative Care, End of Life, Attitude to Death, Hospice |
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Full-Text [PDF 1341 kb]
(70 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/11/23 | Accepted: 2025/12/9 | Published: 2026/04/15
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