Relationship between cognitive factors, religiosity, fear of death and quality of life in community older adults

Background and Objectives: Religiosity has been associated with various psychosocial outcomes in older adults, including cognitive function, quality of life (QoL), and attitudes toward death. However, the interplay among these variables remains underexplored. This study aimed to examine the relationships between religiosity, cognitive performance, fear of death, and QoL in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 105 older adults from a senior community center in Cuiabá, Brazil. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Verbal Fluency Test, and Trail Making Test. Religiosity was measured via the Duke University Religion Index, fear of death using the Death Anxiety Questionnaire, and QoL with the WHOQOL-OLD. Spearman’s correlations evaluated associations among variables. Results: Participants demonstrated high religiosity and moderate death anxiety. Weak, positive correlations were observed between intrinsic religiosity and MMSE (r=0.28, p=0.04) and verbal fluency (r=0.22, p=0.02). Non-organizational religiosity was positively associated with verbal fluency (r=0.38, p=0.01) and overall QoL (r=0.20, p=0.03). Death anxiety showed a weak, negative correlation with QoL (r=-0.22, p=0.02). Advancing age was associated with poorer cognitive performance in verbal fluency (animals: r=-0.33, p=0.01; colors: r=-0.41, p=0.01) and reduced autonomy (r=-0.23, p=0.01). Discussion and Implications: Findings suggest that private and intrinsic religious engagement may support cognitive health and aspects of QoL in older adults, while organizational religiosity did not consistently correlate with well-being. The minimal association between religiosity and death anxiety challenges assumptions of a protective effect. These results underscore the value of integrating individualized spiritual considerations into gerontological interventions.