Attitudes of Polish Priests and Laymen Towards Death During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Omega (Westport). 2024 Feb;88(3):1101-1120. doi: 10.1177/00302228211060595. Epub 2021 Dec 11.

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has generated a situation where death is the most commonly used term by humans. The attitudes adopted towards the phenomenon of death are the result of existential life and the presented axiology. Looking at the death of a secular and spiritual person makes it possible to notice the existential and spiritual attitudes of two different social groups, interpenetrating one another and fulfilling different roles. The study used a diagnostic survey method using a standardized research tool in the form of the Attitude Profile Questionnaire for Death (DAP-R-PL) and an author's questionnaire. In the light of the conducted research, it can be observed that priests experience the phenomenon of death more existentially and religiously. Laymen consider the problem of death in an existential way and are more afraid than priests. Both attitudes are part of everyday life because each of the groups participating in the research maintains its identity.

Keywords: Covid-19; attitude; death; layman; priest.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude to Death
  • COVID-19*
  • Clergy*
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Poland