Mediating effects of disease perception on disease uncertainty and health behaviors among thrombolysis therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT

Objective:

By cross-sectional survey methods, from June 2021 to June 2022, a total of 123 thrombolysis therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke were investigated by general information, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, Health Behavior Scale for Stroke Patients and Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire by convenience sampling method. The mediating effect of disease perception between disease uncertainty and health behavior was verified by structural equation model.

The scores of disease uncertainty, health behaviors and disease perception were (52.21 ± 7.67), (63.77 ± 9.40), (127.70 ± 26.19) points in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Health behaviors and each dimension including exercise, medication, instruction, nutrition, responsibility, tobacco and alcohol were negatively correlation between disease uncertainty ( r values were -0.762 to -0.411, all P<0.01), and positively correlation between disease perception ( r values were 0.689 to 0.912, all P<0.01). Disease uncertainty was a significantly negative predictor for health behaviors ( β= -0.71, P<0.01); disease perception was also a significantly negative predictor for disease perception ( β = -0.85, P<0.01). Disease uncertainty had a significantly indirect effect on the health behaviors for thrombolysis therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke through disease perception, which showed the mediating effect of health behaviors accounts for 15.2% of total effect.

Disease perception play a mediating role in the relationship between disease uncertainty and health behaviors among thrombolysis therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke.