Latent Profile Analysis of Illness Perception and Its Association with Fear of Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Fear of progression (FoP) is one of the most prevalent psychological responses among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), impairing mental health and quality of life. However, research on the heterogeneity of illness perceptions among CKD patients remains limited, and the relationship between distinct perception profiles and FoP is not yet well understood. This study aimed to identify latent profiles of illness perception in CKD patients and examine their associations with FoP. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 428 CKD patients were recruited from four tertiary hospitals through convenience sampling between May 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024. Participants completed questionnaires assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, illness perception, FoP, psychological flexibility, family resilience, and social support. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify illness perception profiles, multinomial logistic regression was used to examine predictors of profile membership, and stratified regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between illness perception profiles and FoP. Results: Latent profile analysis identified three distinct illness perception profiles. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that CKD stage, number of concomitant symptoms, psychological flexibility, family resilience, and social support significantly predicted the latent profiles of illness perception (P < 0.05). Stratified regression analysis further demonstrated that illness perception profiles were independently predicted FoP after controlling for key demographic and clinical variables. Conclusion: CKD patients exhibit heterogeneity in illness perception. Illness perception profiles were associated with FoP. Distinct illness perception profiles are associated with FoP, and are influenced by key psychosocial factors. These findings support the development of tailored, perception-based interventions to reduce FoP among CKD patients.