Knowledge, attitude, and practice in managing asymptomatic hyperuricemia among primary care doctors in Malaysia / Mohamad Faris Rusydi Rusly

Introduction: The prevalence of hyperuricemia is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries. Hyperuricemia is associated with many comorbidities; however, the quality of care is suboptimal. Primary care doctors (PCDs) play an essential role in identifying and managing asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH). This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude (perceived barrier), and practice in managing AH among PCDs in Malaysia, and whether there is a significant difference between PCDs with or without postgraduate qualifications in Malaysia. It also aimed to determine the sociodemographic characteristics, professional background, personal experience, knowledge, attitude (perceived barrier), and its association with adequate AH practice among PCDs in Malaysia.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted online using a validated questionnaire via Google Forms TM . The adequacy rate (AR) for knowledge and practice is set at a score of ≥50%, and attitude (perceived barrier) is described in percentage. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, professional background, knowledge, and attitude (perceived barrier) with the AH practice adequacy score.
Results: A total of 412 PCDs participated, with the majority being female (76.2%) and Malay (74.0%), and working in public primary care clinics (84.0%). The overall knowledge’s mean (±SD) score was 24.78 (±3.01), AR 96.4%. For attitude, the most perceived barrier was a lack of knowledge about the disease (50%), and the guidelines (48.5%). The overall practice’s mean (±SD) score was 17.51 (±8.09), AR 53.2%. The final regression model showed only PCDs with experience in rheumatology attachment was significantly associated with adequate practice (OR 1.778, CI: 1.083-2.920, p<0.05).
Conclusion: Despite the majority of the PCDs having high knowledge AR, half of them regarded inadequate knowledge of the disease and guidelines as the most perceived barrier, which is reflected in the modest overall practice AR. The effectiveness of PCDs in managing AH should be increased by implementing strategies that address these factors.