# Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of hand eczema patients in Guangdong, China

## TL;DR

This study examines how patients in Guangdong, China, understand and manage hand eczema, finding that better knowledge and attitudes lead to improved self-care practices.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel KAP framework for analyzing hand eczema patient behavior and identifies a knowledge-attitude-practice relationship.

## Key findings

- Higher attitude scores are linked to more proactive self-management practices.
- Knowledge directly influences attitudes, which in turn affect practices.
- A knowledge gap suggests the need for educational interventions to improve patient outcomes.

## Abstract

Hand eczema is a common, debilitating condition affecting quality of life. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with hand eczema in Guangdong, China, toward their condition.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at our hospital from September 21, 2023, to July 31, 2024, using a self-designed KAP questionnaire.

A total of 612 valid questionnaires were collected. The mean (SD) scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 9.25 (2.55) (possible range: 0–23), 35.68 (6.02) (possible range: 10–50), and 24.03 (5.18) (possible range: 8–40), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that a higher attitude score (OR = 1.209, p < 0.001) was independently associated with more proactive practices. The path analysis revealed that knowledge directly influenced attitude (β = 0.191, p < 0.001), and attitude had a direct effect on practice (β = 0.591, p < 0.001). Additionally, knowledge indirectly affected practice through attitude (β = 0.113, p < 0.001).

Our findings highlight a significant gap in patient knowledge, suggesting that targeted educational interventions may be a valuable strategy to improve self-management. Future research should test the efficacy of such interventions.