Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Healthcare Practitioners towards Clinical Practice Guidelines: Findings from a Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: Despite the potential benefits of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), utilization and uptake by medical professionals vary widely and frequently fall short of expectations. We conducted this research to analyze the knowledge, attitude, and practice of healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. We identified the factors related to low or inadequate CPGs knowledge, practice, and attitude among healthcare workers.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we engaged 396 healthcare professionals from both public and private healthcare establishments. We utilized an online self-administered questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and practice of CPGs. A multifaceted logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with varying knowledge levels, low attitudes, and inadequate practice of CPGs. We used SPSS 23.0 to analyze the data.

Results: Overall, most participants, 83.3%, indicated they possess a broad understanding, and 78.3% reported having received training in the necessary skills to utilize CPGs. A significant 80.5% of the healthcare professionals concurred with the tenets of their organization’s guidelines, and an overwhelming 94.2% agreed that adherence to these CPGs would enhance care delivery. About 80% of respondents agreed that the recommendations or activities outlined in the CPGs were easily adaptable in their practice. Additionally, it was observed that individuals of Saudi nationality (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.64, 5.17), those employed in government sectors (OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.16, 4.45), and those with over a decade of experience (OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.06, 3.37) demonstrated a correlation with lower knowledge levels. Furthermore, females exhibited a 1.94 times higher likelihood of demonstrating less positive attitude towards healthcare CPGs compared to their male counterparts (OR: 1.94; 95%CI: 1.10, 3.40).

Conclusion: In the present study, healthcare professionals demonstrated satisfactory knowledge, attitude, and understanding of clinical guidelines. The causes for variations in knowledge influenced by nationality, years of experience, and different organizational affiliations warrant further exploration in ensuing studies.