Awareness of Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors Among Adults in the Jazan Region of Saudi Arabia

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading global health burden largely driven by modifiable risk factors, and public awareness plays a critical role in its prevention and early risk reduction. However, gaps in knowledge and behavioral practice persist. Objective: This study aims to assess awareness of CAD risk factors and examine its relationship with the socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, personal medical history, and family history among residents of the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 559 participants between April and May of 2026. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing awareness of behavioral, clinical, and non-modifiable risk factors. Awareness was scored out of 12 and categorized as poor (<50%), moderate (50–75%), or high (>75%). Chi-square tests were applied to analyze associations, and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent factors associated with high awareness. The results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, and data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.29. Results: Among the 559 participants, 67.3% demonstrated high awareness, 29.9% moderate awareness, and 2.9% poor awareness of CAD risk factors. Awareness of modifiable factors was high, including smoking (96.8%), obesity (95.5%), hypertension (94.6%), and high cholesterol (93.4%), while non-modifiable factors such as family history (54.6%) and sex (60.3%) were less recognized. In the bivariate analysis, significant associations with awareness were found for age, body mass index (BMI), education, marital status, and employment status. Exercise was significantly associated with awareness (p = 0.020), with higher awareness levels observed in individuals with greater activity. High awareness was independently linked to a higher educational level (aOR = 1.76, p = 0.009) and a previous diagnosis of CAD (aOR = 6.28, p = 0.014). Conclusions: This study found moderate to high CAD risk factor knowledge among adult residents in the Jazan Region. Self-reported preventative practices differed among health behaviors, demonstrating that awareness alone may not always lead to healthy lifestyles. As the cross-sectional nature of the study precludes causal conclusions, more longitudinal, qualitative, or theory-informed research is needed to understand the drivers of healthy behavior adoption.