Perceived Social Support and Quality of Life in Older Adults After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Mediating Roles of Coping and Health Literacy

Background: Older adults undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) often experience substantial physical and psychosocial challenges that may adversely affect their quality of life. Perceived social support, coping, and health literacy are important factors associated with health outcomes, yet the pathways linking these variables remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and quality of life in older adults after PCI and to examine the mediating roles of coping and health literacy. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 353 older adults with coronary heart disease who underwent their first PCI at the cardiology department of a tertiary general hospital in Anhui Province, China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, the Health Literacy Scale for Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, and the Chinese Questionnaire for Quality of Life in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease. Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis. Results: The mean quality of life score was 82.20 ± 19.19. Perceived social support, coping, and health literacy were all positively associated with quality of life (all p < 0.01). Perceived social support had a direct positive effect on quality of life (effect = 0.071, [95% CI (0.012, 0.207)]). It also had indirect effects through coping (effect = 0.109, [95% CI (0.052, 0.174)]) and health literacy (effect = 0.511, [95% CI (0.191, 0.873)]). In addition, coping and health literacy showed a significant serial mediating effect in the association between perceived social support and quality of life (effect = −0.065, [95% CI (−0.236, −0.015)]). Conclusions: Perceived social support was associated with better quality of life in older adults after PCI, both directly and indirectly through coping and health literacy. These findings suggest that nursing care should pay greater attention to strengthening social support, encouraging positive coping, and improving health literacy in order to promote postoperative recovery and quality of life.