Awareness of SLE Patients About the Disease, Its Treatment, and Potential Complications

Abstract

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease with fluctuating activity and significant morbidity, where long-term outcomes depend greatly on patient awareness and adherence to treatment. Despite therapeutic advances, many patients demonstrate inadequate understanding of their disease, contributing to delayed care, poor compliance, and increased complications. Objective: To determine the level of awareness among patients with SLE regarding the disease, its management strategies, and potential complications, and to evaluate associations with education level, disease duration, and treatment adherence. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the National Hospital, Lahore, over three months. Ninety-six patients diagnosed with SLE according to American College of Rheumatology criteria were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling. Data were collected via structured face-to-face interviews using a pre-validated, Likert scale–based questionnaire assessing awareness across three domains: disease knowledge, management, and complications. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, applying chi-square tests and Pearson correlation with a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.05. Results: Low awareness was observed in 52.1% of patients, moderate in 33.3%, and high in 14.6%. Higher education, longer disease duration, and medication adherence were significantly associated with improved awareness (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Awareness of SLE and its complications remains limited, highlighting the need for structured patient education programs to enhance disease literacy, adherence, and long-term outcomes