Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals toward stroke-related sleep disorders: a cross-sectional path analysis

Background Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and sleep disorders are common after stroke yet often overlooked. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare professionals (HCPs) regarding stroke-related sleep disorders (SSDs) and examined the interrelationships among the three domains. Methods A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted from February 24 to April 10, 2025, coordinated by Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital. HCPs were recruited by convenience sampling using an anonymous online researcher-developed questionnaire distributed via a WeChat QR code. A minimum of 270 valid responses was required (10 respondents per scale item). Non-parametric tests, linear regression, and path analysis with 2000 bootstrap resamples were used. Results Of 472 questionnaires returned, 327 (69.3%) were valid. Most participants were female (294, 89.91%), held a junior college or bachelor’s degree or below (295, 90.21%), worked in public hospitals (308, 94.19%) and Class III hospitals (289, 88.38%), and were nurses (254, 77.68%). Mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 7.33 ± 2.95 (of 12), 36.89 ± 4.00 (of 40), and 32.18 ± 6.15 (of 40). Knowledge was directly associated with attitude (β = 0.132, P = 0.016) and attitude with practice (β = 0.440, P < 0.001), whereas knowledge was not directly associated with practice (β = −0.035, P = 0.491). The indirect association of knowledge with practice via attitude was not significant (β = 0.058; 95% bootstrap CI − 0.002 to 0.124; P = 0.056). Conclusion Participants reported positive attitudes but less consistent practices, particularly in objective sleep assessment. Attitude was the domain most strongly associated with practice, whereas knowledge showed no direct association with practice. As the study was cross-sectional and used convenience sampling, these associations may not be causal or generalizable. Training addressing both assessment skills and professional attitudes is recommended. Clinical trial number Not applicable.