A cross-sectional study of national drug procurement policy knowledge, attitudes, and practices among medical personnel in Yunnan Province

Objective: This study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning the National Drug Procurement Policy among medical personnel in Yunnan Province, focusing on their understanding, acceptance, and application of the policy. Methods: A comprehensive survey involving 919 medical professionals across diverse healthcare settings in Yunnan was conducted using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. It encompassed demographic information, knowledge of the drug procurement policy, attitudes towards its implementation, and related practices. Analytical methods included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and KMeans clustering to discern patterns and key influencers of policy perception and application. Results: The survey demonstrated a significant gender imbalance (79.54% female) and a younger and middleaged majority (35.58% aged 18-30, 54.84% aged 31-50). Most participants held higher educational qualifications, with 62.13% possessing a Bachelor’s degree. Professional qualifications were found to significantly impact policy understanding. Variations in perceptions of the policy’s implementation were significant across different professional roles, as indicated by ANOVA. Correlation analysis revealed substantial links between policy understanding and aspects like ‘Agreement on Drug Consistency’ (r = 0.62) and ‘Reducing Medication Burden’ (r = 0.45). Regression analysis identified ‘Technical Qualification’ as a key determinant of policy comprehension. Factor analysis unveiled critical dimensions influencing perceptions, including Policy Understanding & Education, Operational Impact, Economic Implications, Drug Selection & Usage, and Industry Dynamics. PCA and KMeans clustering exposed a wide spectrum of understanding and opinions among the medical staff. Conclusion: The findings highlight notable gaps in understanding and implementing the National Drug Procurement Policy among Yunnan’s medical personnel. This underlines the necessity for targeted educational and communication strategies, advocating policy refinement to address the diverse needs of the healthcare workforce, thereby enhancing policy efficacy and healthcare outcomes. Key words: drug procurement policy, medical personnel, Yunnan province, healthcare policy, professional qualifications, prescription practices, healthcare management, policy implementation