The effects of disease-related knowledge on illness perception and psychological status of patients with COVID-19 in Hunan, China.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current status of disease-related knowledge and to analyze the relationship among the general condition, illness perception, and psychological status of patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 118 patients using convenience sampling. The general questionnaire, disease-related knowledge questionnaire of COVID-19, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were used to measure the current status of participants. RESULTS: The overall average score of the disease-related knowledge of patients with COVID-19 was (79.19 ± 14.25), the self-care situation was positively correlated with knowledge of prevention and control (r=0.265, P=0.004) and total score of disease-related knowledge (r= 0.206, P= 0.025); the degree of anxiety was negatively correlated with the knowledge of diagnosis and treatment (r= -0.182, P= 0.049). The score of disease-related knowledge was negatively correlated with negative cognition (volatility, consequences, emotional statements) and negative emotions (tension, fatigue, depression) (P<0.05); positively correlated with positive cognition (disease coherence) and positive emotion (self-esteem) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It was recommended that we should pay more attention to the elderly and low-income groups, and increase the knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 and self-care in the future health education for patients.