Assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards patients with allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent hypersensitivity reaction of the upper respiratory tract to allergens in the air. Upon inhalation, these microparticles trigger a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction in persons susceptible to specific allergens, explicitly targeting the nasal mucosa.
Objectives: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards patients with allergic rhinitis.
Methods: This study employed an observational cross-sectional design. The study focused on people diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and ranged five months between January and May 2024. The questionnaire was generated and disseminated using a Google form, and the statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0. In the univariable analysis, variables with P-values less than 0.05 were added to the multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results: The current study involved a total of 114 patients, and the results showed that patients with allergic rhinitis had a poor attitude, with sufficient knowledge and excellent practices towards allergic rhinitis. The correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant association between knowledge and attitude (correlation coefficient: -0.045, P = 0.638). Nevertheless, there was a noteworthy negative correlation between knowledge and practice, with a correlation coefficient of -0.214 and a p-value of 0.023. Additionally, there was a substantial direct association between attitude and practice, with a correlation coefficient of 0.295 and a p-value of 0.001.
Conclusions: Patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores significantly varied by age, gender, and sources of rhinitis allergic. The results demonstrated that patients with allergic rhinitis had a poor attitude, with sufficient knowledge and excellent practices towards allergic rhinitis. These findings suggested that while knowledge and attitude might not always have a clear correlation with practice, having a good attitude could enhance the implementation of effective strategies for managing allergic rhinitis. Educational interventions should be developed to enhance the knowledge, attitude, and practices of those suffering from allergic rhinitis.