Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Middle-Aged and Elderly Population Towards Ultrasound Screening for Strokes

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among middle-aged and elderly population towards ultrasound screening for strokes. Patients and Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between March, 2023, and May, 2023 at Shanghai Eighth People's Hospital. A self-designed questionnaire was developed to collect demographic information of middle-aged and elderly population and assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward ultrasound screening for strokes. Results: A total of 552 participants enrolled in this study, among them 151 (27.36%) aged above 60 years old, 306 (55.43%) resided in rural area, 239 (43.30%) possessed educational attainment at the level of junior college, college or above. The mean knowledge, attitudes and practice scores were 5.53 [+ or -] 2.56, 40.22 [+ or -] 5.60 and 38.30 [+ or -] 7.38, respectively. Pearson's analysis was performed to assess the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices. It was shown that knowledge and attitudes were positively correlated (r = 0.544, P < 0.001), and knowledge and practices were also positively correlated (r = 0.404, P < 0.001). Additionally, there was a positive correlation between attitude and practice scores (r = 0.566, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the middle-aged and elderly population exhibited insufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and moderate practices towards ultrasound screening for strokes. There is a need to improve the understanding of stroke risk factors, symptoms, and emergency measures among this population. Keywords: knowledge, attitudes, practice, stroke, ultrasound imaging, middle- aged, elderly