Abstract:

This study specifically concentrates on investigating the role of religion in coping with Covid-19 and examines the association between fear of Covid-19, depression, anxiety, stress, and religious coping within a sample of elderly individuals. Employing a quantitative research design with a survey methodology, the study examines the correlational relationship between the primary variables. Additionally, the research objectives include addressing the variations in fear of Covid-19 in relation to certain socio-demographic characteristics within the research group. The sample consists of 398 randomly selected elderly individuals aged 60 and above residing in the Eastern Black Sea region. By analyzing the relevant variables, the study identifies notable distinctions. The findings derived from the research reveal that individuals with chronic illnesses and those who have experienced the loss of a relative due to Covid-19 exhibit higher levels of fear of the virus. Moreover, the study establishes significant associations between fear of Covid-19 and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as between fear of Covid-19 and negative religious coping. Additionally, a noteworthy correlation is observed between depression, anxiety, and stress levels and negative religious coping. Consequently, it can be inferred that negative mental health indicators are primarily linked to negative religious coping styles.

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