Illness uncertainty and its influencing factors among patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome in China

Patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) often experience a strong sense of illness uncertainty due to complex and diverse symptoms, unclear etiology, and insufficient popularization of the disease knowledge. Therefore, this study examined illness uncertainty and its influencing factors in BCS patients to help develop targeted interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 183 BCS patients recruited from a tertiary Grade-A hospital in China between January 2024 and July 2025. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Mishel Illness Uncertainty Scale, and the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Independent samples T-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. BCS patients demonstrated a moderate level of illness uncertainty, with a mean total score of 96.82 ± 10.78. Among all dimensions, unpredictability had the highest mean score of items (3.49 ± 0.59). Multivariate regression analysis identified place of residence, education level, monthly per capita family income, hospitalization frequency, and social support as factors associated with illness uncertainty. Healthcare professionals should focus more on these aspects of patients and deliver individualized psychological interventions.