Sarcouncil Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract: The autoimmune condition referred to as rheumatoid arthritis is typified by persistent, crippling, and devastating arthritis. To assess rheumatoid arthritis patients' understanding of their disease, its treatment, and its consequences, as well as to investigate the primary determinants of patient knowledge. During June 2024 and June 2025, cross-sectional research was carried out at the Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic in Iraq. 250 individuals who satisfied the 2010 ACR/EULAR categorization criteria of rheumatoid arthritis and were at least 18 years old were enrolled using a simple sampling technique. The patient knowledge survey was used to gauge participant awareness. It consisted of 30 questions that assessed the accuracy of the patient's knowledge about RA and its therapies; the right response received one point, while the wrong response or the patient's ignorance received zero; the highest score was thirty. Of the participants, 74 (29.6%) obtained their information from rheumatologists, whereas 60 (24%) obtained their knowledge from social media. Out of nine, the average general knowledge score was 7.54 (1.37). Those with a college degree or higher, patients who learned from rheumatologists, and people with conditions that was present for more than 12 years had the greatest awareness levels. Compared to similar previous research, the current study's knowledge of patients' questionnaire level was greater. The patients' degree of awareness was greatly influenced by the information source, educational attainment, and length of illness.