Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of professionals regarding glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in anesthesia

The expanding use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) has prompted increasing attention to perioperative safety management. This nationwide cross-sectional survey, conducted among perioperative physicians in China from November 15 to December 15, 2024, assessed knowledge, attitudes, and willingness (KAW) regarding GLP-1 RA–related anesthesia safety. Within this adaptation of knowledge–attitudes–practice (KAP) framework, knowledge was operationalized as self-reported familiarity with current guidance and evidence, while willingness represented behavioral intention or readiness rather than observed clinical practice. A total of 1,237 valid questionnaires were analyzed, corresponding to a response rate of 93.08%. Among participants, 56.10% were male, 41.96% held intermediate professional titles, and 33.14% had received lectures or training on GLP-1 RAs and anesthesia-related patient safety. Mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and willingness were 7.38, 28.51, and 20.51, respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that the attitude-to-willingness path was the strongest (β = 0.712), whereas the direct path from knowledge to willingness was weak and the indirect association through attitudes was small and negative. Overall, surveyed perioperative physicians reported limited knowledge, marginally positive attitudes, and suboptimal willingness regarding GLP-1 RA–related anesthesia safety. These findings suggest that perioperative safety strategies may benefit from addressing knowledge gaps and attitude-related factors through targeted, evidence-based educational approaches.