Caregivers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Risk Factors and Management of Post-Stroke Delirium Among Stroke Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of caregivers of stroke patients regarding the risk factors and management of post-stroke delirium. Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of stroke patients who visited two tertiary hospitals and three community health service centers between November 2023 and January 2024. In this study, knowledge, attitude, and practice were assessed using structured scoring systems, with knowledge scored from 0-24, attitudes from 7-35, and practices from 9-45. Results: A total of 484 valid questionnaires were included, with 325 (67.1%) females respondents. The median (25th, 75th percentile) KAP scores were 9.00 (2.00, 12.00) (possible range: 0-24), 24.00 (23.00, 26.00) (possible range: 7-35), and 33.00 (27.00, 36.00) (possible range: 9-45), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that knowledge score (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.16), attitude score (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.32, 1.67), duration of stroke diagnosis > 2 years (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.83), and lack of participation in related education (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.72) were independently associated with practices. Structural equation modeling revealed that knowledge directly influenced attitudes (β = -0.39, P < 0.001) and practice (β = 0.30, P < 0.001), while attitudes also directly influenced practices (β = -0.51, P < 0.001). Knowledge indirectly affected practices through its effect on attitudes (β = 0.20, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Caregivers of stroke patients exhibited inadequate knowledge, neutral attitudes and moderate practices regarding risk factors and management of post-stroke delirium. Targeted educational interventions should be implemented for caregivers, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and effectively managing post-stroke delirium.