Knowledge, attitude and practice of patients and their family members regarding age-related macular degeneration: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss among the older adults, and understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients and their family members is essential for improving disease management and patient education. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and their family members. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and July 2023 at the Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 538 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis, comprising 325 patients (60.41%) and 213 family members (39.59%). Among all participants, 495 (92.01%) reported having undergone intraocular injection therapy, while 43 (7.99%) had not received such treatment. The mean KAP scores were 10.99 ± 1.30 for knowledge, 43.05 ± 3.48 for attitude, and 22.36 ± 3.96 for practice. Significant positive correlations were observed between knowledge and attitude, knowledge and practice, and attitude and practice. Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that knowledge had a significant direct effect on attitude, and attitude had a significant direct effect on practice, with attitude fully mediating the relationship between knowledge and practice. Discussion: Overall, patients and their family members exhibited adequate knowledge of AMD, whereas attitude and practice levels were moderate. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions to enhance AMD-related knowledge, foster positive attitudes through supportive patient-family interactions, and facilitate the translation of knowledge and attitudes into appropriate health-related behaviors, with particular emphasis on timely medical consultation and adherence to treatment.