A latent profile analysis of residents' knowledge, attitude, and practice toward common chronic diseases among ethnic minority area in China

BACKGROUND: Health literacy plays an important role in preventing and managing chronic diseases, while low levels of health literacy among ethnic minorities are a major manifestation of health inequities. We believe that before effective health literacy intervention strategies, it is preferable to understand the features of health literacy among ethnic minorities. The present study firstly updated insights on health literacy among ethnic minorities by investigating the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) profile of common chronic diseases in ethnic minority areas, and secondly discussed the KAP profiles in detail to inspire future health education interventions. METHODS: A cross-sectional, health-literacy-sensitive study was conducted in China's typical ethnic minority area. Participants included 801 adult residents who lived in the ethnic minority area. The primary outcome was participant scores on the KAP questionnaire of common chronic diseases, followed by latent profile analysis to identify participants with similar KAP score patterns and determine whether membership in specific groups was associated with demographic or clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The participants included 496 ethnic minorities (61.9%) and 305 Han Chinese (38.1%). Three-profile solution was determined after the latent profile analysis: incomplete transfer [I.T.] (n = 215), better practice [B.P.] (n = 301), and average [A.V.] (n = 285). IT group (26.84%) was characterized by the highest level of knowledge and attitude toward common chronic diseases and below average level for practice. Participants in B.P. group performed poorly in both knowledge and attitude toward common chronic diseases but had the highest level of practice. A.V. group reflected average knowledge, attitude, and practice toward common chronic diseases among three subgroups. Ethnic minorities were the dominant population in A.V. group (68.8%). Compared with other groups, the A.V. group contained the largest proportions of married participants (84.2%), participants with no formal education (46.7%), and high annual out-of-pocket medical expense (33.3%). CONCLUSION: A more specific and nuanced understanding of minority health literacy can enable service providers to provide more effective health education to their recipients, thereby improving health inequities.