Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of asthma patients in Inner Mongolia regarding differentiation between allergic rhinitis accompanied asthma and cough.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of asthma patients in Inner Mongolia, focusing on their ability to differentiate between allergic rhinitis accompanied by asthma and common coughs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from Jan 2024 to April 2024 at the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, involving asthma patients aged 18 years and above. Demographic information and KAP scores were gathered through the distribution of questionnaires. Results: The study successfully collected 547 valid questionnaires. Among the respondents, 310 (56.67%) were female, and 337 (61.61%) either had a personal smoking history or lived with someone who smoked. Median (Q25, Q75) knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 17 (15, 18) (possible range: 2-18), 43 (41, 44) (possible range: 11-55), and 33 (31, 35) (possible range: 9-45), respectively. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive correlations between knowledge and practice (r = 0.2095, p < 0.001), as well as attitude and practice (r = 0.1420, p < 0.001). Pathway results showed that smoking history (β = 1.29, p < 0.001) directly affected knowledge. Family history (β = -0.90, p < 0.001) and knowledge (β = 0.15, p < 0.001) directly affected attitude. Knowledge (β = 0.43, p < 0.001) and attitude (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) directly affected practice. Indirect effects analyses also showed that smoking history (β = 0.19, p = 0.002) had an indirect effect on attitude. Smoking history (β = 0.47, p < 0.001), family history (β = -0.57, p < 0.001), and knowledge (β = 0.06, p < 0.001) had indirect effects on practice. Conclusion: Asthma patients in Inner Mongolia demonstrated moderate knowledge, attitudes, and proactive practices toward distinguishing between allergic rhinitis accompanied by asthma and common coughs. Based on these findings, we recommend strengthening targeted patient education in clinical practice, particularly for individuals with lower knowledge levels, a smoking history, or limited awareness of family health history, to enhance symptom recognition and self-management capacity.