Objective  To explore the relationship between disease cognition, disease uncertainty, death anxiety and rehospitalization in patients with pulmonary heart disease (PHD).

Methods  A total of 249 patients with PHD were selected.According to whether or not re-hospitalization, the patients were divided into re-hospitalization group (72 cases) and non-hospitalization group (177 cases).The patients were investigated by self-designed general information questionnaire, self-developed disease cognition scale, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS-A), and Chinses version of Templer's death anxiety scale (CT-DAS).

Results  The total scores of disease cognition scale in the re-hospitalization group were lower than those in the non-hospitalization group (P < 0.01), and the total scores and all dimensions scores of MUIS, CT-DAS were higher than those in the non-hospitalization group (P < 0.01).The total score of disease cognition was negatively correlated with the total score of MUIS and CT-DAS (P < 0.05), while the total score of MUIS was positively correlated with the total score of CT-DAS (P < 0.05).Irregular outpatient follow-up, poor medication compliance, low MUIS score, high MUIS total score, and high CT-DAS total score were significant influencing factors for rehospitalization in patients with PHD during follow-up (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).

Conclusions  The low cognitive level of PHD disease, the high level of disease uncertainty and death anxiety are related to the rehospitalization of patients within 6 months after discharge.Clinical attention should be paid to health education, improve the cognition level of patients with PHD, and reduce the disease uncertainty and death anxiety.