Acceptance Death as Part of Life: Spouse in Malaysia

Abstract

In Malaysia, deaths are increasing due to various factors such as chronic diseases, road accidents, the Covid-19 epidemic and others. The year 2020 to 2022 shows a decrease in life expectancy due to the increase in excess deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic. The increase in mortality is increasing but the acceptance of facing the death of a partner still needs to be studied extensively. Acceptance of the death of a partner research needs to be carried out in depth because existing studies focus on socio-economics after the death of a partner. This study examines the death of couples aged 35 to 65 years. Ten respondents were interviewed about their partner's acceptance of death using phenomenological methods. After coding the interviews, three themes emerged: (1) relationship before death, (2) coping, and (3) anxiety. The implications of this study for psychology and the medical field in understanding the emotional intensity of couples involving women and men.