Chain Mediation Model of Perceived Stress, Resilience, and Social Support on Coping Styles of Chinese Patients on Hemodialysis During COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

BACKGROUND: The recurrence of COVID-19 and the continuous escalation of prevention and control policies can lead to an increase in mental health problems. This study aimed to investigate the perceived stress, coping style, resilience, and social support among patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) during the COVID-19 epidemic lockdown in China. MATERIAL/METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study enrolled 197 patients on MHD from the Guangdong Province Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital and the Hedong Hospital of Guangzhou Liwan District People’s Hospital during July 2021. AMOS 24.0 and PROCESS Macro 3.1 model 6 were used for analyses of moderating mediating effects. RESULTS: Perceived stress was negatively correlated with positive coping style (r=−0.305, P<0.001) and resilience (r=−0.258, P<0.001), whereas resilience (r=0.631, P<0.001) and social support (r=0.300, P<0.001) were positively correlated with positive coping style among patients on MHD. In the moderated mediating model, perceived stress had significant direct predictive effects on positive coping style (95% CI −0.33, −0.07), and perceived stress had significant indirect predictive effects on positive coping styles through resilience (95% CI −0.26, −0.06) or social support (95% CI 0.01, 0.06). Perceived stress had significant indirect predictive effects on positive coping style through both resilience and social support (95% CI −0.04, −0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived stress not only predicted coping style directly, but also indirectly predicted coping style through resilience and social support. Coping style was affected by internal and external factors during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period.