Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding physical activity among patients aged 20–60 with coronary heart disease

This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding physical activity among 453 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients aged 20–60 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The effective response rate was 88.30%. Most participants were male (73.7%), married (96.3%), and aged 51–60 (75.9%). Mean scores were: knowledge 9.34 ± 5.39 (range 0–18), attitude 31.58 ± 4.63 (8–40), and practice 37.12 ± 10.17 (16–80), indicating insufficient knowledge and suboptimal practice despite positive attitudes. Structural equation modeling revealed cardiac exercise phobia negatively affected knowledge (β = -0.128) and attitude (β = -0.199). Exercise self-efficacy (β = 0.135, P = 0.019) and social support (β = 0.384, P = 0.016) positively influenced knowledge. Attitude was positively affected by social support (β = 0.151) and knowledge (β = 0.283), but negatively by phobia and rural residence. Practice was positively associated with self-efficacy (β = 0.321), social support (β = 0.175), and knowledge (β = 0.253), but negatively by alcohol use. Phobia also had significant negative indirect effects on attitude and practice. Targeted interventions to improve knowledge, address exercise fear, and enhance self-efficacy and social support are essential to promote physical activity in CHD patients.