Social anxiety, self‐esteem and quality of life among hypertensive patients during COVID‐19 local epidemic in China: A mediation analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesTo explore the mediating role of self‐esteem in social anxiety and QoL during the COVID‐19 local epidemic in China.DesignA cross‐sectional survey.MethodsThis study conveniently selected 344 hypertensive patients from a Grade‐A tertiary hospital in Wuhu, Anhui Province, as the study population. Participants completed the demographic questionnaire, the social phobia inventory, the self‐esteem scale and the 36‐item short‐form health survey.ResultsSocial anxiety, self‐esteem and QoL were significantly correlated with each other. Social anxiety showed no direct effect on QoL (β = 0.011, p > 0.05). Social anxiety showed an indirect effect on QoL (β = −0.248, p < 0.001). Self‐esteem fully mediated the association between social anxiety and QoL in hypertensive patients.Patient or Public ContributionHypertensive patients in this study were participants during the data collection process. Nursing staff from the cardiology department at the hospital of a hospital in Wuhu City, Anhui Province assisted in the recruitment phase of the data collection process.