Designing and Conducting Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Surveys in Psychiatry: Practical Guidance

Abstract

Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) surveys are popular in health care because they provide useful information and appear easy to design and execute. There are subtleties, however, in such surveys that early career researchers need to be aware of. This article does not provide a detailed review of the subject, nor does it address theory; rather, it provides practical guidance on matters such as identifying the need for the survey; defining the target population; preparing the questions that address knowledge, attitudes, and practice; preparing options for the answers to the items in the questionnaire; deciding how to score the instrument and analyze the results; and validating the instrument. Specific examples are presented to help readers understand and apply the guidance in various contexts.