Effective self-management is essential for patients with heart failure, but many struggle with acquiring the necessary skills. Given the complexity of heart failure management and the importance of patient adherence to prescribed regimens, this study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning the prevention of heart failure recurrence among patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Third People’s Hospital of Yancheng City from September 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, employing a self-administered KAP questionnaire. The study included 421 heart failure patients, of whom 230 (54.6%) were male. Median scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 12.00 [10.00, 13.00] (possible range: 1–18), 20.00 [19.00, 21.00] (possible range: 5–25), and 16.00 [15.00, 17.00] (possible range: 5–22), respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores (
r
= 0.183,
P
< 0.001), as well as between knowledge and practice scores (
r
= 0.169,
P
< 0.001). A higher attitude score was significantly associated with a higher practice score (
r
= 0.245,
P
< 0.001), as supported by structural equation modelling. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that attitude score (OR = 1.238), suburban residence (OR = 2.524), monthly household income exceeding 5000 RMB (OR = 3.539), BMI less than 20 kg/m2 (OR = 2.155,
P
= 0.029), BMI between 20 and 24 kg/m2 (OR = 2.387), and BMI between 25 and 29 kg/m2 (OR = 4.063) were independently linked to proactive practices (all
P
< 0.05). Additionally, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) elucidated the intricate relationship between sociodemographic factors and KAP dimensions. Despite positive attitudes and proactive prevention efforts, heart failure patients exhibit a knowledge gap. Tailored educational interventions by healthcare providers could effectively bridge this gap, leveraging patients’ positive attitudes and proactive behaviours to reinforce preventive measures.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-024-79098-4.
