Mediating effect of hope level on correlation between perceived social support and quality of life among postoperative cervical cancer patients

Objective To explore the quality of life (QOL), relationships between hope level, perceived social support and QOL, and mediating effect of hope level on the relationship between perceived social support and quality of life among postoperative cervical cancer patients. Methods Totally 280 pathologically diagnosed cervical cancer patients were recruited at Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University between November 2014 and November 2015 for a self-administered questionnaire survey.The survey was conducted during postoperative reexamination at outpatient clinic three months after hospital discharge with the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), and a selfdesigned questionnaire on demography information. Results For all the participants, the mean scores of WHOQOL-BREF, PSSS, and HHI were 95.62±16.56, 67.48±10.58, and 37.36±4.17, respectively.The total score and all domain scores of PSSS were positively correlated with total score and domain scores of active attitude and action of HHI and overal score of QOL(P < 0.05 for all).The total score and domain scores of HHI positively correlated to the total score of QOL(P < 0.05).The results of hierarchical regression analysis revealed a partial mediating effect of hope level on the correlation between perceived social support and QOL among the participants, with an effect magnitude of 0.09 and a relative effect ratio of 26.71%.Hope level was an important protective factor for QOL. Conclusion Perceived social support has a direct influence and an indirect influcence mediated by hope level on quality of life among postoperative cervical cancer patients;in addition, hope level mediates positive effect of perceived social support on quality of life and promotes quality of life among the patients.