Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Feb 27, 2025; 17(2): 96493
Published online Feb 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i2.96493
Healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitude and practice towards ischemic bowel disease
Mei Ying, Yan-Ju Li, Yan Chen, Ming-Yan Fu, Ge Zhang
Mei Ying, Yan Chen, Ming-Yan Fu, Ge Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’an 271000, Shandong Province, China
Yan-Ju Li, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’an 271000, Shandong Province, China
Co-first authors: Mei Ying and Yan-Ju Li.
Author contributions: Ying M and Li YJ contribute equally to this study as co-first authors; Zhang G and Ying M conducted the studies, collected the data, and drafted the manuscript; Li YJ and Chen Y performed the statistical analysis and contributed to the study design; Zhang G, Ying M and Fu MY were involved in data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation and contributed to drafting the manuscript; all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (No. 2023-096).
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There are no conflicts of interest to report.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement—checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ge Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, No. 366 Taishan Street, Tai’an 271000, Shandong Province, China. tyfyzg@163.com
Received: May 8, 2024
Revised: October 17, 2024
Accepted: November 29, 2024
Published online: February 27, 2025
Processing time: 258 Days and 19.1 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Ischemic bowel disease (IBD) is a critical condition caused by reduced blood flow to the intestines, leading to tissue damage and potentially severe complications. Early recognition and timely management are essential for improving patient outcomes and reducing morbidity and mortality associated with IBD.

AIM

To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of healthcare professionals regarding IBD.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare professionals in China from November 2023 to December 2023 using a self-designed questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 315 valid questionnaires were analyzed, with 215 participants (68.25%) being female. The mean KAP scores were 17.55 ± 5.35 (range: 0-24), 27.65 ± 2.77 (range: 8-40), and 18.88 ± 4.23 (range: 6-30), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed the following factors to be independently associated with knowledge: Age 26-35 years (β = 2.80, 95%CI: 0.31-5.30, P = 0.028), professional title (β = 2.66, 95%CI: 0.91-4.41, P = 0.003), position (β = -3.78, 95%CI: -5.45 to -2.11, P < 0.001), participation in IBD-related training (β = 3.45, 95%CI: 2.39-4.51, P < 0.001), and admission of more than five IBD cases in the past month (β = 3.25, 95%CI: 1.58-4.92, P < 0.001). Attitude was independently associated with knowledge (β = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.15-0.26, P < 0.001) and being a nurse or nursing supervisor (β = -1.30, 95%CI: -2.16 to -0.40, P = 0.003). Practice was independently associated with knowledge (β = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.10-0.30, P < 0.001) and attitude (β = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.06-0.42, P = 0.007). Structural equation modeling demonstrated direct effects of knowledge on attitude (β = 0.24, P < 0.001) and practice (β = 0.26, P < 0.001), as well as of attitude on practice (β = 0.22, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

Healthcare professionals demonstrated adequate knowledge but moderate attitude and inactive practice regarding IBD. Addressing the gaps in attitude and practice through targeted training programs and interventions is essential for improving patient care and outcomes.

Keywords: Ischemic bowel disease; Knowledge, attitude and practice; Healthcare professionals; Cross-sectional study; Training programs; Clinical practice; Patient care; Mesenteric ischemia; Colon ischemia; Diagnostic methods

Core Tip: Ischemic bowel disease (IBD) poses a significant clinical challenge due to its potential for severe complications. This study highlights the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals regarding IBD. Although knowledge levels were adequate, attitudes were moderate, and practices were inactive. Targeted training programs and interventions are essential to enhance patient care and outcomes in the management of IBD.