Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Cardiac Healthcare Workers Toward Thoracoscopic Surgery in Xinjiang: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aili Aibibula, Zheng Liu, Aikeremu Tuerxun, Abudousaimi Aini, Guojun Yu, Duolikun Mutailifu, Qiang Huo, Abudunaibi Maimaitiaili The Department of Cardiac Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830054, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Abudunaibi Maimaitiaili, The Department of Cardiac Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830054, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18999996526, Email [email protected]: Thoracoscopic cardiac surgery can achieve better patient outcomes than median sternotomy, but it is a complex procedure with pros and cons. This study investigated the Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of cardiac healthcare workers (HWs) toward thoracoscopic surgery in Xinjiang.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to May 2024 at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, and enrolled HWs working in cardiac surgery (convenience sampling). An investigator-designed questionnaire was used to collect the demographic and KAP data. The effects of demographic factors on KAP were analyzed using multivariable analyses. Relationships among KAP dimensions were examined using a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis.Results: The analysis included 194 participants. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 12.97± 5.74 (/24, 54.04%), 26.11± 2.57 (/35, 74.60%), and 30.70± 9.34 (/45, 68.22%), indicating poor knowledge, positive attitudes, and poor practices. Having a doctoral degree (OR=25.7, 95% CI: 1.59– 416, P=0.022) and no experience in applying thoracoscopic cardiac surgery for patient treatment (OR=0.05, 95% CI: 0.01– 0.31, P=0.001) were independently associated with knowledge. Being a nurse (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.24– 0.94, P=0.034) was independently associated with attitudes. The knowledge scores (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.05– 1.30, P=0.003), the attitude scores (OR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.22– 1.73, P< 0.001), and working in the cardiology (OR=0.17, 95% CI: 0.03– 0.95, P=0.044), anesthesiology (OR=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05– 0.77, P=0.019), and the operating room (OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.00– 0.32, P=0.002) departments were independently associated with practice. Knowledge influenced attitude (β=0.08, P=0.010), attitude influenced practice (β=0.98, P< 0.001), and knowledge influenced practice (β=0.90, P< 0.001).Conclusion: Cardiac HWs in Xinjiang had poor knowledge, positive attitudes, and poor practice regarding thoracoscopic cardiac surgery.Keywords: cardiac surgery, knowledge, attitude, practice, healthcare workers, thoracoscopy