Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Vocal Cord Polyp Among Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of patients regarding vocal cord polyps.

Study design: Cross-sectional survey-based study.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2022 to May 2023 at Jinhua Central Hospital, involving 564 patients diagnosed with vocal cord polyps. The survey utilized a validated questionnaire to assess KAP. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among knowledge, attitudes, and practices, considering both direct and indirect effects.

Results: Among the 564 patients surveyed, 69.86% were female, and 40.25% were over 50 years of age. The mean scores for KAP were 7.05 ± 2.56, 20.04 ± 1.92, and 22.02 ± 4.61 out of 12, 30, and 30, respectively, indicating a need for improvement in all domains. SEM results demonstrated that a history of surgery negatively influenced attitudes and practices, while higher knowledge positively impacted both. Direct effects revealed that knowledge positively shaped attitudes and practices, and attitudes further improved practices.

Conclusions: The findings highlight gaps in patients' knowledge and suboptimal attitudes towards vocal cord polyps, underscoring the necessity for targeted education to enhance understanding, promote proactive health-seeking behaviors, and improve patient outcomes.