Dermatologists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding omalizumab therapy for chronic urticaria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate dermatologists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning omalizumab therapy for chronic urticaria. We conducted a cross-sectional study in several hospitals in China, mainly in hospitals in Zhejiang Province, during August 1, 2024 - August 15, 2024 using a self-administered KAP questionnaire. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance were performed to compare differences across groups Factors influencing practice were determined through multivariable logistic regression. The study analyzed 354 valid questionnaires. Among the respondents, 248 (70.06%) were aged between 31 and 35 years, and 269 (75.99%) had 5–10 years of experience. The mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 5.71 ± 1.39 (possible range: 0–9), 21.39 ± 2.25 (possible range: 5–25), and 19.84 ± 2.53 (possible range: 5–25), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that a higher attitude score (OR = 1.929, 95% CI: [1.511–2.462], P < 0.001), being male (OR = 3.262, 95% CI: [1.507–7.059], P = 0.003), and awareness of omalizumab (OR = 4.966, 95% CI: [1.466–16.830], P = 0.010) were significantly associated with proactive practice. Dermatologists demonstrated insufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive practices towards omalizumab therapy for chronic urticaria. Given the identified knowledge gap, there is a pressing need for targeted educational interventions to enhance dermatologists’ understanding of omalizumab therapy for chronic urticaria, aiming to improve patient care and outcomes in clinical practice.