Investigating the Association between Stress Coping Strategies and Social Support in COVID-19 Survivors

ABSTRACT

Background: The global spread of COVID-19, due to its pathogenesis and high mortality rate, has caused high levels of stress among various levels of societies. Hence, it is necessary to investigate social support interventions concerning their effectiveness and accessibility. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the association between coping strategies and social support in survivors of COVID-19. Methods: Following a descriptive-correlational design, using the census method, 158 discharged cases with a definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 in 2020 were recruited. Data collection tools included the demographic characteristics questionnaire, CISS-48 stress-coping methods, and Wax’s social support questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics of Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression in SPSS version 22. Results: The most and least frequent stress coping strategies used by patients were problem-oriented (48.49 ±9.99) and avoidance-oriented stress strategies (24.48 ± 4.11), respectively. Family support (39.02 ± 4.20) was the major source of support. There was a significant correlation between the score of social support and the total score of stress, problem-oriented, and avoidance-oriented stress. According to the regression analysis, there was a significant association between the score of coping strategies and educational level. Conclusions: By increasing the awareness of COVID-19 patients about problem-based coping strategies, their stress can be reduced. Also, due to the high level of social support provided by the family, planning for family-centered nursing interventions and engaging family members in the care of COVID-19 patients are important.