Knowledge Drives Venous Thromboembolism Prevention: Structural Equation Modeling Insights Into Physicians' Knowledge,...

BackgroundVenous thromboembolism (VTE), the third leading cause of cardiovascular mortality, is a common but preventable complication in hospitalized patients. However, VTE prophylaxis remains underutilized. This study aims to explore physicians' knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) regarding VTE prevention in Chinese public hospitals and their interrelationships to inform improvement strategies.MethodsA cross-sectional, multicenter online survey was conducted using a KAP-based questionnaire distributed to physicians in Chinese public hospitals. Data analysis integrated descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsAmong 787 valid responses, KAP scores were positive (Knowledge: 4.00 ± 0.81; Attitude: 4.38 ± 0.78; Practice: 4.38 ± 0.82). Scores on knowledge of intermittent pneumatic compression usage (3.40 ± 1.24) and VTE risk assessment tools (3.98 ± 1.08) were relatively low, while only 23% and 40% of physicians reported being very familiar with them, respectively. About half strongly agreed on performing dynamic VTE/bleeding risk assessments and tailoring prophylactic measures accordingly. Poor patient awareness and adherence also hindered VTE prevention. Positive correlations were observed among KAP domains (r = 0.35 - 0.59, P < 0.001). SEM demonstrated knowledge directly influenced practice (β = 0.50, P < 0.05), while attitude facilitated knowledge-to-practice translation (β = 0.25, P < 0.05).ConclusionsKnowledge is pivotal for VTE prophylaxis implementation. Future targeted training should focus on addressing physicians' knowledge deficiencies, enhancing awareness of dynamic risk assessment and improving patient education to strengthen institutional VTE prevention capabilities. Given the predominance of tertiary public hospital respondents, the generalizability of these findings should be interpreted with caution.