Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) stems from insulin lack, high blood sugar, dehydration, and acid-base issues in diabetes. It ties to infections or dosing errors in type 1 and 2 diabetes. In a study published in the Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare, the researchers assessed physicians' knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) on updated Ministry of Health DKA protocol to guide education.

This cross-sectional study ran between July 2023 and July 2024 across 10 tertiary hospitals in five Saudi regions. It included 242 physicians treating DKA, excluding interns and those with <1 year experience. A validated KAP questionnaire gathered data. Analyses checked scores and predictors like age, gender, experience.

Knowledge was poor in 57.9%, fair in 38.0%, good in 4.1% (mean±SD 4.79±1.85). Higher scores linked to females (p=0.001), age >40 (p<0.001), >15 years experience (p<0.001), endocrinologists (6.25±1.26, p<0.001). Attitudes favorable in 68.6% (8.03±1.81; tied to marital status, p=0.002). Good practices in 51.7% (3.05±1.84; predictors age, gender, experience, region; p<0.05). Models explained 34.5% knowledge, 16% attitude, 30.2% practice variability.

In this physician cohort, most showed poor DKA knowledge, better among experienced endocrinologists. Attitudes and practices varied by demographics. Cross-sectional findings highlight educational gaps, especially in younger doctors.