Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of patients with lower limb fractures post-surgery regarding deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a significant postoperative complication in patients with lower limb fractures, potentially leading to life-threatening outcomes such as pulmonary embolism. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of this high-risk population regarding DVT prevention. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between March 2023 and May 2024. A structured questionnaire collected demographic and KAP data, analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM). Among 442 valid respondents, SEM revealed direct effects of knowledge on attitudes (beta = 0.593, P < 0.001) and attitudes on practices (beta = 0.746, P < 0.001). Despite proactive practices, patients demonstrated inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes towards DVT. These findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions to enhance patient understanding and attitudes, ultimately improving preventive behaviors and reducing DVT-related complications.