Venous thrombosis prophylaxis in oncology: Knowledge, practice, and attitude study among oncologists in Armenia.

Abstract

e21027 Background: Increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is observed among patients with malignancies, characterized by an incidence of 5.8 per 100 person-years. The role of VTE prophylaxis is crucial as cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is the 2nd leading cause of mortality among patients with solid tumors. The current study assesses oncologists' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) on CAT prophylaxis in Armenia. Methods: The study utilizes a cross-sectional design. Medical Oncologists (MO), Radiation Oncologists (RO), and Surgical Oncologists (SO) were approached from the three biggest cancer centers in the capital of Armenia. Convenient sampling was performed and the study tool was distributed through paper-based and electronic self-administered questionnaires. The latter was adopted from the study by Shangpeng Feng et al., 2021. To analyze the data, KAP scores were calculated. Chi-square analysis was done to check for the association between KAP and predictors. For that purpose, KAP scores were categorized into binomial variables (high/low knowledge, favorable/unfavorable practice, and positive/negative attitude). Data was analyzed through SPSS. Results: In total, 45 subjects were interviewed. M:F ratio was 1.14:1. Median age: 32 years (26:72). Overall, 40.0%, 11.1%, and 48.9% of MO, RO, and SO respectively were enrolled. Of those, 66.7% completed their training. Median work experience was 5 years (1:48). On average, the knowledge score was 15.0 (range: 7-25; SD - 5.0). The high level of knowledge was noted in 48.9% of cases. Knowledge was significantly associated with the subspecialty (p - .000) with higher scores among SOs. The mean attitude score was 6.9 (range: 1-10; SD - 1.75). The subjects demonstrated predominantly negative attitudes (66.7%) towards CAT prophylaxis. On average, the practice score was 3.0 (range: 0-5; SD - 1.4). Favorable practice was noted in 42.2% of cases. Training completion was significantly associated with Oncologists’ practice (p - .033) exhibiting poorer scores among those who did not complete their residency training. A moderate positive correlation was observed between Oncologists' attitudes and practice (r - .4, p - .007). Conclusions: The evaluation showed intermediate scores that suggest room for improvement. Hence, national interventions are required to ensure adequate adherence to CAT prophylaxis.