Evaluation of Knowledge and the Factors Affecting Knowledge Among Patients on Oral Anticoagulation Therapy

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are recommended to prevent thrombotic events, particularly in atrial fibrillation and after prosthetic valve replacement. Given that the therapeutic range of oral anticoagulants is narrow, therapy can be challenging. Dosing is also affected by certain factors that may increase the risk of bleeding. Knowledge gaps in oral anticoagulation therapy are linked to reduced effectiveness and safety of treatment. However, limited data are available on this issue in the urban and rural settings of southern Karnataka, India. Hence, the present study aims to measure knowledge about oral anticoagulation therapy and investigate the factors affecting knowledge among these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Three hundred twenty patients who were receiving VKAs participated in this study. Data were collected using the anticoagulation knowledge questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the patients had poor knowledge about oral anticoagulation therapy. They had the highest level of knowledge about laboratory monitoring. Knowledge about diet and drug interactions and adverse drug reactions was significantly lower. Medication management knowledge was found to be moderate. There was a significant association between knowledge and age, education level, place of residence, prior informative sessions about therapy, and duration of use. Significantly, higher education levels, attending prior informative sessions, and longer treatment periods were linked to better knowledge. There was no association between occupation and knowledge. CONCLUSION: The results emphasize the need for targeted education on oral anticoagulation, with knowledge assessment as the first step to guide interventions that prevent complications and improve quality of life.