Background Studies have reported associations between health‐related quality of life (HRQOL), social support, and mental stress of patients with chronic wound, while the causal relationship is unclear and little is known about the HRQOL of hospitalized them. We therefore investigated the status of HRQOL of hospitalized patients with chronic wound and the causal relationships among social support, mental stress (anxiety and depression) and HRQOL of which. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted and the demographic and disease characteristics, HRQOL, perceived social support and mental stress of 216 hospitalized patients with chronic wound was surveyed through questionnaires collected by face to face interview. Results (1) The HRQOL of the non‐retired patients was better than that of the retirees (P < .05); Patients with a diabetic foot ulcer, who slept less than 5 hours per night, with moderate pain, wound odor had worse HRQOL (P < .05); Sleep status, diagnosis, and pain scores were entered into the prediction equation of physiological quality of life (PQOL) of the patients (r2 = 0.125, P < .05), retired or not and wound odor were entered into the prediction equation of mental quality of life (MQOL) (r2 = 0.127, P < .05). (2) Perceived social support had a positive predictive effect on the HRQOL of hospitalized patients with chronic wound (β = 1.161, P < .001), and a negative predictive effect on mental stress of them (β = −0.902, P < .001). The effect of social support on the HRQOL of hospitalized patients with chronic wound was to provide a buffering effect on their mental stress, the estimated value was 2.121, 95% CI (1.46, 3.25). Conclusion (a) The HRQOL of hospitalized patients with chronic wound was poor and sleep status, diagnosis, pain, retirement status and whether the wound has odor were the main demographic and disease characteristic factors which affected their HRQOL. (2) Perceived social support improved the HRQOL of hospitalized patients with chronic wound by buffering their mental stress.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among hospitalized patients with a chronic wound and explore the influence of demographic factors, disease characteristics, social support, and coping styles on their mental status. METHODS Investigators recruited 216 patients with a chronic wound. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale were used to measure anxiety and depression. Patients’ coping style and their social support were assessed through face-to-face interviews. RESULTS Overall, 36.6% of participants presented with symptoms of anxiety, and 37% showed depressive symptoms. Participants who typically had less than 5 hours of sleep; experienced more severe pain; or had an odorous wound, negative coping style, or lower level of social support had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression (P < .05). Men with higher monthly incomes who lived in the city were more likely to develop anxiety than women with lower monthly incomes who lived outside the city (P < .05). Participants with fewer years of education and without spouses were more likely to experience depression than married participants with more education (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of anxiety and depression among hospitalized patients with a chronic wound is high. Support from loved ones including a spouse and a positive coping style are key protective factors for mental health and well-being.