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

Objectives: To explore the mediating role of self-esteem in social anxiety and QoL during the COVID-19 local epidemic in China. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Methods: This 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. Results: Social anxiety, self-esteem and QoL were significantly correlated with each other. Social anxiety showed no direct effect on QoL (beta = 0.011, p > 0.05). Social anxiety showed an indirect effect on QoL (beta = -0.248, p < 0.001). Self-esteem fully mediated the association between social anxiety and QoL in hypertensive patients. Patient or Public Contribution: Hypertensive 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.