Introduction: Mental health is crucial for enhancing the quality of life in older adults.
Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and loneliness, considering the moderating role of religious orientation among the elderly in Karaj city.
Method and Materials: This descriptive cross-sectional study of 500 older adults in Karaj, Iran, was conducted in 2020 using cluster sampling. Data was gathered through a demographic checklist, questionnaires on COVID-19 anxiety, Allport and Ross Religious Orientation, and loneliness. Path analysis was employed to assess the moderating role of religious orientation in the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and loneliness.
Results: The mean age of the elderly participants in the study was 70.82 ± 7.99 years. Most were male (n=275, 55%) and married (n=388, 67.6%). Significant correlations were found between psychological anxiety and loneliness, as well as between religious orientation and loneliness (p=0.000, β=-0.584). However, the results did not support a moderating role of religious orientation in the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and loneliness (p=0.999, β=0.000).
Conclusions: The current study did not support the moderating role of religiosity in the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and loneliness; however, further research is recommended to verify these findings.