Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of gastric cancer patients toward nutritional therapy

Background: To investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of patients with gastric cancer (GC) toward nutritional therapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2024 at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University (Wuxi, China) and enrolled patients with GC. Questionnaires (Cronbach's alpha = 0.923) were used to collect data on demographics and KAP dimensions. Scores >75% were considered good. Multivariable analyses were performed to examine the factors associated with KAP. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was performed to examine the relationships among KAP dimensions. Results: The analysis included 486 valid questionnaires. The median knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 6.0 (0-16; 37.5%), 26.0 (7-35; 74.3%), and 28.7 (8-40; 71.7%) indicating poor KAP. Only agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and water conservancy production personnel (OR = 0.09, 95%CI: 0.02-0.49, p = 0.006) were independently associated with knowledge. Knowledge (OR = 1.11, 95%CI: 1.05-1.18, p < 0.001) and a monthly income of 10,000-20,000 (OR = 3.85, 95%CI: 1.23-12.06, p = 0.021) were independently associated with attitude. Knowledge (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.15-1.30, p < 0.001), attitude (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.11-1.32, p < 0.001), personnel other than leading cadres of state organs and enterprises (all OR < 1 and all p < 0.05), and a monthly income of 10,000-20,000 yuan (OR = 3.02, 95%CI: 1.15-7.96, p = 0.025) were independently associated with practice. Knowledge had a direct positive influence on attitude (beta = 0.350, p < 0.001) and practice (beta = 0.460, p < 0.001) and an indirect positive influence on practice (beta = 0.146, p < 0.001). Attitude had a direct positive influence on practice (beta = 0.417, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients with GC in Wuxi partly had poor KAP toward nutritional support.