Seventeenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading cause of mortality, accounting for more than 60% of deaths and 43% of the worldwide disease burden. Moreover, the number of patients with chronic illness (PWCIs) continues to increase worldwide, and the early onset of chronic health problems has become a threat endangering the well-being of young patients. In addition to their impacts on physical health, chronic illnesses also lead to a series of undesirable consequences—such as social withdrawal, peer rejection, social isolation, and depressive symptoms—that have detrimental impacts on young PWCIs’ overall functioning and quality of life. The present study aims to explore the effect of trust in mutual aid group members on young PWCIs’ well-being and the mediating role of self-management in such an association. Data were collected through a stratified random sampling; 391 young PWCIs from mutual aid groups in Hong Kong were recruited as the research sample and participated in both the baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys. Our findings indicated that the effects of trust on well-being outcomes (accomplishment, social connectedness, and depression) were fully mediated by treatment adherence and health maintenance efficacy, but not by coping with stigma. The empirical findings provide practical implications for intervention programs in relation to promoting the self-management and well-being of young PWCIs.