Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward postoperative fatigue syndrome among postoperative patients

This cross-sectional study, conducted January 15–June 30, 2025 at Jilin Province FAW General Hospital, assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of postoperative patients regarding postoperative fatigue syndrome (POFS), a multifactorial condition characterized by persistent fatigue, reduced energy, and functional impairment following surgery that cannot be relieved by rest. Among 310 valid responses, knowledge scored a median of 3 out of 20, while attitude and practice medians were 36/45 and 32/45 respectively. Multivariate linear regression identified knowledge (β = 0.348, 95% CI 0.225–0.470, P < 0.001), attitude (β = 0.491, 95% CI 0.350–0.632, P < 0.001), monthly per capita household income of 5,000–20,000 yuan (β = 2.485, 95% CI 1.210–5.107, P = 0.013), and presence of POFS (β = 1.831, 95% CI 0.684–2.979, P = 0.002) as independent factors associated with practice scores. Structural equation modeling suggested potential direct effects of knowledge (β = 0.290, P = 0.009) and attitude (β = 0.361, P = 0.003) on practice. The findings suggest overall poor POFS knowledge, relatively positive attitudes, and suboptimal self-management practices, underscoring the need for targeted patient education to improve recovery outcomes and reduce systemic healthcare burden.