Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of pancreatitis, including risk factors, symptoms, and preventive measures, among residents of Southern Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and June 2025 across the provinces of Jazan, Aseer, Najran, and Al-Baha. A total of 1,146 participants aged 18 years and above were recruited using convenience and online chain-referral sampling. Data were collected through a 24-item Arabic questionnaire covering sociodemographic, knowledge, and attitudes.
Results: Most participants were under 45 years (78.1%), female (54.2%), Saudi (97.6%), and university graduates (78.7%). While 80.5% recognized pancreatic function, only 31.7% achieved high knowledge scores. Common symptoms such as abdominal pain (73.5%) and nausea/vomiting (60.9%) were widely known, but awareness of less typical symptoms and modifiable risk factors, like smoking (20.4%) and obesity (16.5%), was limited. Knowledge of preventive measures was low (17.1%). Higher knowledge was associated with healthcare professions (aOR = 9.87), postgraduate education (aOR = 7.23), and prior exposure to information (aOR = 2.67). Regional differences were noted, with Al-Baha scoring higher than other provinces.
Conclusion: Despite relatively high education levels, awareness of pancreatitis, especially prevention and risk factors, remains inadequate. Healthcare employment and advanced education strongly influenced knowledge. These findings highlighted the need for targeted, region- and occupation-specific health interventions to reduce preventable cases.

Key words: Pancreatitis, health literacy, public awareness, knowledge, Saudi Arabia.