Stroke knowledge and health-promoting behaviors: Mediating effect of patient self-esteem

To investigate the levels of and associations between stroke knowledge, self-esteem, and health-promoting behavior (HPB) among stroke patients, and examine the mediating effect of self-esteem in the stroke knowledge–HPB relationship. This descriptive correlational study involved a total of 150 stroke patients. We collected data through questionnaires during outpatient visits at two Korean secondary hospitals, inquiring about general and disease-related characteristics, stroke knowledge, self-esteem, and HPB. Correlation and mediation analyses were performed. Stroke knowledge significantly increased patients’ self-esteem (β = .53, p = .001) and HPB (β = 1.64, p