Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes Regarding Psoriasis Among the General Population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background and objective Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease associated with a significant psychosocial burden and stigma. Misconceptions regarding its contagiousness and causes may negatively affect patients' social interactions and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding psoriasis among the general population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods We carried out a cross-sectional study with 526 participants, and used a snowball sampling method for recruitment. Participants were recruited through social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp, and received detailed information about the study before providing digital consent to participate. We used a questionnaire comprising four sections to collect data on sociodemographic data, awareness of psoriasis, knowledge assessment, and attitude evaluation. Results Overall, 89.5% of participants reported that they had heard or read about psoriasis, primarily through social media (28.1%) and through relatives or friends (27%). Knowledge levels varied, with 39.7% demonstrating good knowledge and 20.3% demonstrating poor knowledge. Higher education was significantly associated with better knowledge (p = 0.029), whereas other demographic factors showed no significant association. Regarding attitudes, 60.3% of the participants expressed positive perceptions toward psoriasis patients, whereas 27% expressed negative attitudes. Positive attitudes were significantly associated with obtaining information from books or lectures or through personal experiences with the disease (p = 0.042) and having a higher knowledge level (p < 0.001). We found no significant associations between attitudes and demographic factors. These findings suggest the need for targeted educational initiatives to improve public knowledge and attitudes toward psoriasis. Conclusions This study assessed the level of knowledge regarding psoriasis among the general population in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The results revealed the presence of negative attitudes toward patients with psoriasis. Thus, awareness of psoriasis in the general population needs to be improved.