Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards neurodevelopment among parents of children born moderate to late preterm in Changzhou, China: a cross-sectional study
Mei Xue, Yu Wan, Fei WangObjective
To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of parents of children born moderate to late preterm (32 to <37 weeks’ gestation) regarding their children’s neurodevelopment.
Design
A cross-sectional study.
Setting
This study was conducted from March to June 2025 at the Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou.
Participants
Parents of children born moderate to late preterm were surveyed in the outpatient clinic when their children were at preschool age.
Interventions
No.
Primary and secondary outcome measures
KAP scores were assessed using a questionnaire, and differences among parents were compared across different demographic characteristics. KAP scores were converted to percentages and interpreted using a 70% descriptive cut-off. Structural equation modelling was employed to investigate the inter-relationships among the KAP dimensions.
Results
This study included 499 participants, with a mean maternal age of 34.03±5.42 years; the majority were women (92.79%). The mean knowledge score was 7.22±3.53 (out of a possible maximum of 18), the mean attitude score was 23.91±5.16 (out of a possible maximum of 35) and the mean practice score was 25.84±5.08 (out of a possible maximum of 40). The knowledge scores correlated with the attitude (r=0.193, p<0.001) and practice (r=0.558, p<0.001) scores, while the attitude scores correlated with the practice scores (r=0.312, p<0.001). The path analysis revealed that knowledge had a direct influence on attitude (β=0.290, p=0.011) and practice (β=0.582, p=0.006). Attitude had a direct influence on practice (β=0.228, p=0.012). Knowledge also had an indirect influence on practice through its impact on attitude (β=0.066, p=0.005).
Conclusion
Parents’ KAP scores were below the descriptive 70% sufficiency threshold, particularly for knowledge, suggesting unmet needs for clearer follow-up communication and family-centred neurodevelopmental education. Interventions should focus on strengthening family-centred education, clearer follow-up communication and parental engagement in neurodevelopmental monitoring and early intervention.