Patient's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward acute coronary syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Acute coronary syndrome imposes a heavy burden on health systems and can impair physical function and quality of life. Understanding patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices is essential for timely care seeking and effective secondary prevention.

This study was conducted to investigate patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward acute coronary syndrome.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with acute coronary syndrome at Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital (Taiyuan, China) from November 2022 to April 2024. Data were collected using a cardiovascular expert-reviewed questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Spearman correlation and logistic regression were performed using SPSS 27.0, and structural equation modeling was conducted using AMOS 26.0. A two-sided p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Among 475 valid questionnaires (67.58% male), mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 4.16 (standard deviation 1.73), 45.05 (standard deviation 5.72), and 24.65 (standard deviation 6.37), respectively. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices were positively correlated (Spearman r = 0.212-0.427; p < 0.001). Structural equation modeling showed direct effects of knowledge on attitudes (standardized β = 0.293; p = 0.007) and practices (β = 0.172; p = 0.021), and of attitudes on practices (β = 0.525; p = 0.007). Knowledge also had an indirect effect on practices (β = 0.154; p = 0.004).

Patients with acute coronary syndrome had limited knowledge but generally positive attitudes and practices. Improving symptom recognition, emergency response, and adherence-focused education may support timely care seeking and better management.