Beyond Hospitals: NCD Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices for Healthier Futures Among Rural Population of Central Gujarat - A block level observational study

Background : India faces a growing NCD burden. Despite national programs, understanding community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding primary prevention is lacking. This study assessed KAP for NCDs in rural Anand District, Gujarat, to inform tailored health interventions. Methods : A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted between June and September 2024 across 44 villages in Anand, Gujarat. A multi-stage sampling design with a random walk method was used to select 656 adults. Data on sociodemographics, NCD knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire. The primary outcome, a composite knowledge score, was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-square test was used to assess associations. Results : NCD knowledge in the community was exceptionally low, with 93.1% of participants having 'Poor' knowledge. While awareness of behavioral risk factors was high, knowledge of specific diseases was lacking; 75.8% had never heard of cervical cancer. A striking contradiction was observed in attitudes, where 88.6% of participants disagreed that screening for cervical cancer is important. Screening practices were correspondingly poor, with 80.3% unable to recall ever having a cervical cancer screening. Lower knowledge levels were significantly associated with younger age (p=0.0002), lower education (p