ASSESSMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES (KAP) AMONG CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, KARACHI

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease patients face significantly elevated risks for osteoporosis, yet their awareness levels remain poorly characterized. This cross-sectional study assessed osteoporosis-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among 100 CKD patients at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. A validated interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to evaluate KAP levels. Results demonstrated surprisingly high overall knowledge (69% high knowledge), positive attitudes (66% high attitude), and good preventive practices (72% high practice) within this cohort. Statistical analysis revealed that higher educational attainment was significantly associated with better knowledge scores (p=.019), confirming education as a crucial determinant of health literacy. However, this educational advantage did not extend to improved attitudes or practices, highlighting a persistent know-do gap. Notably, clinical factors including CKD stage and demographic variables like age and gender showed no significant associations with knowledge levels. The findings suggest that specialized nephrology care effectively delivers complication-specific education, though additional strategies addressing behavioral mediators remain necessary to translate knowledge into consistent practice, particularly for patients with educational disadvantages