Caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding secondary prevention of stroke in patients with ischemic stroke

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to investigate caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding secondary stroke prevention in individuals with ischemic stroke. A cross-sectional survey was administered once per participant during the recruitment period from March 26, 2024 to March 27, 2025 across five hospitals in Sichuan Province, using a standardized questionnaire to gather data. Participants’ demographic information was recorded, and KAP scores related to secondary stroke prevention were assessed. A total of 589 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The majority of participants were female (63.0%), lived in urban areas (70.6%), and had at least an associate degree (34.8%). The scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 10.85 ± 4.61 (possible range: 0–22), 34.66 ± 4.82 (possible range: 10–50), and 38.51 ± 6.06 (possible range: 10–50), respectively. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between knowledge and practice ( r  = 0.123, P  = 0.003) and between attitude and practice ( r  = 0.338, P  < 0.001). However, the correlation between knowledge and attitude was not significant. Structural equation modeling indicated that knowledge directly affected practice (β = 0.140, P  = 0.032), and attitude also directly affected practice (β = 0.253, P  = 0.016). Overall, caregivers reported lower knowledge scores and less favorable attitudes, while practice scores were comparatively higher within the observed range. Both knowledge and attitude had a direct effect on caregiving behaviors.