Perception of Death among Young Adults in Multicultural Peninsular West Malaysia: The Abrahamics and Dharmics

The topic of death perception is often a matter related to older people. As there is a paucity of studies with the young population, insights into their views would be helpful to healthcare professionals who may be confronted by events of death and dying. This study is aimed at exploring the perception of death among young adults of different religions in a multi-cultural and multi-faith society as in Malaysia. A total of 32 participants representing the main religious groups, i.e., Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism were recruited from the Klang Valley area of Peninsular Malaysia. Focus group discussions were undertaken with participants grouped according to their religious identifications. Five themes emerged from the data: (a) Belief in Afterlife, (b) Fear of Own Death, (c) Fear of Others’ Death, (d) Preparation towards Death and Afterlife, and (e) Way of Living. In a diverse and polarised society such as in conservative Malaysia, insights into death perceptions of different main groups of people can play a significant role in the provision of health care.