Knowledge, attitude, and practice of psoriatic arthritis among patients with psoriasis

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of psoriatic arthritis among patients with psoriasis. The KAP questionnaire is a widely used tool in public health research, designed to assess individuals' understanding (knowledge), beliefs (attitude), and behaviors (practice) related to a specific health condition.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sinopharm Dongfeng General Hospital from September to November 2023. Demographic information and KAP scores were assessed using a structured questionnaire, which evaluated patient knowledge about psoriatic arthritis, their attitude toward managing it, and their practical engagement in preventive or treatment behaviors.

In this study, 392 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Of these, 290 respondents (74.0%) were male, and 296 (75.5%) reported no comorbid conditions. The median scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 8 (interquartile range [IQR]: 6-10), 21 (IQR: 19-24), and 14 (IQR: 8-22), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that practice was independently associated with being female (OR = 0.426, 95% CI: 0.259-0.703, p = 0.001), being aged 30-39 years (OR = 2.159, 95% CI: 1.223-3.811, p = 0.008) or 40-49 years (OR = 2.002, 95% CI: 1.019-3.936, p = 0.044), having a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score of 11-30 (OR = 2.569, 95% CI: 1.158-5.700, p = 0.020), and not having psoriatic arthritis (OR = 0.300, 95% CI: 0.168-0.537, p < 0.001).

Patients with psoriasis had suboptimal knowledge, positive attitude and inactive practice toward psoriatic arthritis. To address this, healthcare providers should prioritize educational interventions, with a specific focus on younger patients, females, and individuals with a higher DLQI score, to enhance awareness and promote proactive management of psoriatic arthritis among this patient population.