Abstract
Assessing and improving public knowledge of atrial fibrillation (AF) could increase its detection rate and the subsequent use of stroke prevention therapies. However, there is no validated AF knowledge assessment tool applicable to the general population, including those at risk of AF. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate such a tool. The tool was developed from a literature review and discussion with subject matter experts. Content validity was ensured by a ten-member panel of experts comprising cardiologists and pharmacists. An online validation survey was conducted and reported based on the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). The survey evaluated the tool performance by construct validity, internal consistency reliability, item discrimination, difficulty index and ease of readability. The survey participants included 14 general medical specialists, 20 fourth-year and 33 second-year undergraduate pharmacy students, and 122 members of the general public. The tool had satisfactory content validity, with a scale content validity index of 0.8. The mean percentage knowledge scores for general medical specialists and fourth-year pharmacy students were higher than second-year pharmacy students, followed by the general public (92.9%, 87.6%, 68.5% and 53.4%, respectively; p-value < 0.001), supporting construct validity. The tool had good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91). The item-total correlation was in the preferred range of 0.23 to 0.71. The Atrial Fibrillation Knowledge Assessment Tool is a valid instrument and can be used to investigate AF knowledge of the general population.
Highlights
Detection and subsequent treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) are crucial in preventingAF-related complications, including stroke [1]
Access to the survey tool was available through a link, where the information about the study and consent were made available before participants could proceed to the actual survey content
The link to the LimeSurvey page was shared with the general medical specialists and the students via their institutional email addresses
Summary
Detection and subsequent treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) are crucial in preventingAF-related complications, including stroke [1]. Treatment can be delayed when AF is not detected early [2] and untreated AF, even in the absence of symptoms, can result in a stroke [3]. Poor knowledge of AF in the general population can potentially lead to under-detection and treatment delay. Patients with a new diagnosis of AF may have limited knowledge regarding AF symptoms [5,6], and approximately 40% of these patients report being unaware of AF prior to their diagnosis [7].
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