The impact of online and offline social support on the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Online and offline social support may shape the quality of life (QoL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), yet their relative and joint contributions remain unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 605 PLWHA in Xuzhou, gathering demographic data, subjective well-being, socioeconomic status, HIV/AIDS knowledge, offline and online social support, and QoL. Correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and mediation-moderation models quantified associations.

RESULTS

Higher socioeconomic status, greater subjective well-being, richer HIV/AIDS knowledge, and stronger offline and online support independently predicted better QoL (all p < 0.05). Offline support showed a direct effect on QoL (β = 0.14, p < 0.001) and an indirect effect via online support (indirect β = 0.024, p < 0.05). Online support also improved QoL (β = 0.15, p < 0.001) but did not moderate the offline-QoL link (interaction β = 0.006, p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Offline support boosts QoL both directly and by fostering online support, whereas online support alone confers additional benefit without buffering deficits in offline support. Integrating face-to-face and digital support is therefore crucial for optimising patient outcomes.