Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding pulmonary rehabilitation among patients with chronic respiratory diseases: a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study in a tertiary hospital in China

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of patients with chronic respiratory diseases towards pulmonary rehabilitation. Design Cross-sectional, web-based questionnaire study. Setting Tertiary healthcare hospital in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China. Participants A total of 511 patients with chronic respiratory diseases were recruited from the hospital's outpatient and inpatient departments. After data cleaning, 501 valid responses (98.04% valid response rate) were analysed. Participants were aged 18 or older, able to complete the questionnaire independently or with assistance and included individuals from diverse demographic backgrounds. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes included KAP scores related to pulmonary rehabilitation. The secondary outcome assessed the association between demographic factors (age, gender, income, education, smoking status) and KAP scores using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results The mean KAP scores were 1.26±2.85 for knowledge, 30.46±3.63 for attitudes and 34.58±5.55 for practices. SEM analysis showed that knowledge directly influenced attitudes (β=-0.538, p<0.001) and both knowledge (β=0.668, p<0.001) and attitudes (β=0.668, p<0.001) significantly influenced practices. Additionally, demographic factors, such as monthly household income, type of chronic respiratory disease, educational level and smoking status were significantly associated with variations in KAP scores (all p<0.05). Conclusions Patients demonstrated poor knowledge, generally positive attitudes, and moderate practices regarding pulmonary rehabilitation. Tailored educational interventions focusing on bridging the knowledge gap and promoting positive behavioural changes are essential for improving pulmonary rehabilitation engagement among chronic respiratory disease patients. Trial registration number ChiCTR2400080271.