ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the perception about illness and identify its influencing factors among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) , so as to provide insights into the management of NAFLD patients. @*Methods@#NAFLD patients admitted to Hangzhou First People's Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Zhejiang University from January to June, 2020, were selected as the study subjects, and subjects' demographic features were collected using questionnaires, including gender, age and education level. The perception about illness, coping models and social support were assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire ( MCMQ ) and Social Support Rating Scale ( SSRS ), respectively, and factors affecting the perception about illness were identified using multivariable linear regression analysis among NAFLD patients.@*Results@#The 286 respondents included 151 males ( 52.80% ) and 135 females ( 47.20% ), and had a mean age of ( 55.27±10.39 ) years. The mean illness perception score was 38.55±9.21 among the respondents. The mean SSRS score was 42.90±8.64. The mean coping mode scores of confronce, avoidance and resignation were 23.51±4.30, 17.49±2.82, and 7.12±2.05, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis identified education level ( high school, β'=-0.216; diploma and above, β'=-0.355 ), household monthly income per capita ( β'=-0.372 ), regular exercise ( β'=-0.310 ), coping modes ( confronce, β'=-0.326; avoidance, β'=-0.191 ) and social support level ( β'=-0.259 ) as factors affecting the perception about illness among NAFLD patients.@*Conclusion@#Negative perceptions about illness are found among NAFLD patients, and household income, education level, regular exercise and coping modes are factors affecting the illness perception among NAFLD patients.