Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of patients with diminished ovarian reserve regarding traditional Chinese medicine treatment: structural equation modelling analysis

This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) regarding Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2023 to August 2024 among patients with DOR to assess their KAP regarding TCM treatments. Data on characteristics and KAP scores were collected via a self-designed questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to assess the relationships among the KAP dimensions. A total of 439 valid responses from patients with DOR were included in the final analysis (effective response rate 82.2%). Patients with DOR had a moderate level of knowledge (median [IQR]: 7.00 [5.00–8.00]), generally positive attitudes (median [IQR]: 27.00 [25.00–28.00]), and suboptimal practices (median [IQR]: 31.00 [28.00–33.00]). SEM showed that knowledge had a direct effect on attitude (β = 0.183, P < 0.001) and practice (β = 0.199, P < 0.001), attitude had a direct effect on practice (β = 0.267, P < 0.001), and knowledge indirectly affected practice through attitude (β = 0.049, P = 0.001). Patients with DOR had inadequate TCM knowledge but positive attitudes. Low practice engagement highlights a need for better education to convert attitudes into effective TCM use for managing ovarian decline.