Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology (Central South University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, China.
Front Public Health. 2023 Feb 23;11:1086147. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1086147. eCollection 2023.
The management of prediabetes has great clinical significance, and primary care providers (PCPs) play important roles in the management and prevention of diabetes in China. Nevertheless, little is known about PCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding prediabetes. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the KAP regarding prediabetes among PCPs in the Central China region.
This cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered KAP questionnaires among PCPs from Central China region.
In total, 720 PCPs completed the survey. Most physicians (85.8%) claimed to be aware of the adverse effects of prediabetes and reported positive attitudes toward prediabetes prevention, but the PCPs' knowledge of prediabetes and management practices showed substantial gaps. The prediabetes knowledge level and practice subscale scores of the PCPs were only 54.7% and 32.6%, respectively, of the corresponding optimal scores. Female PCPs showed higher prediabetes knowledge level scores ( = 0.04) and better practice scores ( = 0.038). Knowledge and attitude scores were inversely correlated with participants' age and duration of practice ( < 0.001). The PCPs who served in township hospitals had significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores than those who served in village clinics ( < 0.001). Furthermore, knowledge and practice scores increased with increasing professional titles. Recent continuing medical education (CME) attendance had a significant positive influence on knowledge of prediabetes ( = 0.029), but more than four-fifths of the surveyed PCPs did not participate in diabetes-related CME in the past year.
Substantial gaps were observed in PCPs' knowledge and practices regarding prediabetes in the Central China region. CME programmes were under-utilized by PCPs. Structured programmes are required to improve PCPs' prediabetes-related knowledge and practices in China.
糖尿病前期的管理具有重要的临床意义，基层医疗保健提供者（PCP）在中国的糖尿病管理和预防中发挥着重要作用。然而，对于 PCP 对糖尿病前期的知识、态度和实践（KAP）知之甚少。本横断面研究旨在评估中国中部地区 PCP 对糖尿病前期的 KAP。
本横断面研究采用自我管理 KAP 问卷，对来自中国中部地区的 PCP 进行调查。
共有 720 名 PCP 完成了调查。大多数医生（85.8%）声称了解糖尿病前期的不良影响，并对预防糖尿病前期持积极态度，但 PCP 对糖尿病前期的知识和管理实践存在很大差距。PCP 的糖尿病前期知识水平和实践分量表得分分别仅为相应最佳得分的 54.7%和 32.6%。女性 PCP 的糖尿病前期知识水平得分较高（ = 0.04），实践得分也较好（ = 0.038）。知识和态度得分与参与者的年龄和从业时间呈负相关（ < 0.001）。在乡镇医院工作的 PCP 知识和态度得分显著高于在村诊所工作的 PCP（ < 0.001）。此外，知识和实践得分随职称的提高而增加。最近参加继续医学教育（CME）对糖尿病前期知识有显著正向影响（ = 0.029），但超过五分之四的被调查 PCP 在过去一年中没有参加过与糖尿病相关的 CME。
中国中部地区 PCP 在糖尿病前期的知识和实践方面存在很大差距。PCP 对 CME 项目的利用率较低。需要有针对性的计划来提高中国 PCP 对糖尿病前期的相关知识和实践水平。
