Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Medical Staff in Chinese Hospitals.

BACKGROUND Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a severe complication in mechanically ventilated patients. Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare providers is crucial for prevention. This study aimed to assess the KAP regarding VAP among doctors and nurses in intensive care units (ICU) and respiratory departments across 9 hospitals in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2024 in 9 hospitals in China. A total of 224 participants, including 62 doctors and 162 nurses, completed a validated questionnaire in intensive care and respiratory departments. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation, logistic regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) for the nurse cohort. RESULTS A total of 224 valid questionnaires were collected, with 62 from doctors and 162 from nurses. The KAP scores were 9.88±1.42, 41.67±2.86, and 30.45±4.12 for doctors, and 34.45±4.59 for nurses. For nurses, there was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes (r=0.212, P=0.007). SEM showed that knowledge directly affected attitudes (ß=6.45, P<0.001), but did not significantly predict practices. CONCLUSIONS Medical staff showed adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices regarding VAP. However, structural modeling revealed that knowledge and attitudes did not significantly predict practices, suggesting the need to explore other factors and for targeted interventions for better VAP prevention.