The effect of two facets of physicians’ environmental stress on patients’ compliance with COVID-19 guidelines: moderating roles of two types of ego network

Abstract

Drawing upon the Conservation of Resources Theory, this study seeks to examine the association between two dimensions of environmental stress experienced by physicians and patients’ adherence to COVID–19 guidelines, within the context of a social network framework. A third—wave longitudinal study was employed to gather 439 valid data points in China. Social network analysis and structural equation model were used to test the conceptual model. The results reveal the pivotal role of physicians’ environmental stress related to their work and family contexts in influencing patients’ adherence to COVID–19 guidelines through the mediation of physicians’ information sharing. The ego networks of physicians, encompassing both advice–seeking and friendship ties, were observed to negatively moderate the relationship between stress and resource depletion. Broadly, our study shows the importance of understanding physicians’ stress caused by the working and family environments, as these factorsnot only impact the psychological well–being of physicians but also significantly affect patients’ compliance with COVID–19 guidelines. In addition, the work offers a framework for understanding the impact of the ego advice–seeking network and the ego friend network.