Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Low-Salt Diets Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Their Spouses:...

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their spouses toward low-salt diets.

This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with CKD and their spouses at the outpatient nephrology clinic of our hospital between September 2023 and February 2024.

The study enrolled 443 patients and 499 spouses of patients. The mean KAP scores for patients were 13.64 ± 3.1, 35.19 ± 5.98, and 29.44 ± 7.58, respectively. Spouses of patients had mean scores of 14.39 ± 3.22, 31.66 ± 4.70, and 30.56 ± 6.52, respectively. Path analysis demonstrated that among patients, education, duration of CKD, and income had direct effects on knowledge. Knowledge, gender, marital status, duration of CKD, and residence had direct effects on attitude. Knowledge, attitude, education, CKD stage, employment, and type of medical insurance had direct effects on practice. For the spouses, duration of CKD had direct effect on knowledge; knowledge, residence, and education had direct effects on attitude; knowledge, attitude, residence, education, employment, CKD stage, and dialysis had direct effects on practice.

Both patients with CKD and their spouses demonstrated sufficient knowledge, positive attitude, and proactive practice toward low-salt diets. Clinicians should emphasize education and support programs targeting patients and their spouses to reinforce positive attitude and encourage sustained adherence to low-salt diets, particularly focusing on socioeconomic factors influencing KAP.