Developing a Chain Mediation Model of Recurrence Risk Perception and Health Behavior Among Patients With Stroke: A Cross-sectional Study

PURPOSE: To understand the recurrence risk perception of stroke patients and develop a chain mediation model of recurrence risk perception and health behavior. METHODS: A cross-sectional study and convenience sampling were used. Stroke survivors were recruited from the neurology departments of three tertiary hospitals. Their recurrence risk perception, behavioral decision-making, social support, self-efficacy, recurrence worry, and health behavior were measured by relevant tools. Data was analyzed through one-way analysis and regression analysis, and the AMOS 21.0 software was used to explore the mediating relationships between variables. RESULTS: Of the 419 participants, 74.7% were aware of stroke recurrence risk. However, only 28.2% could accurately estimate their own recurrence risk. Recurrence risk perception was significantly correlated with behavioral decision-making, social support, self-efficacy, and health behavior (r = .19 ∼ .50, p < .05). Social support and recurrence risk perception could affect health behavior indirectly through self-efficacy, behavioral decision-making, and worry. Behavioral decision-making acted as a main mediator between recurrence risk perception and health behavior, while the path coefficient was .47 and .37, respectively. The chain mediation effect between recurrence risk perception and health behavior was established with a total effect value of .19 (p < .01). CONCLUSION: Most stroke survivors could be aware of recurrence risk but failed to accurately estimate their individual risk. In the mediation model of recurrence risk perception and health behavior, social support seemed to be an important external factor, while self-efficacy, behavioral decision-making, and worry seemed to act as key internal factors. REGISTRATION: The research project was registered on 29 June 2020 (CTR2000034244).