2025 Lupus Awareness Survey Executive Summary

A recent survey was conducted by TEAM LEWIS on behalf of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) to explore American’s awareness and knowledge of lupus. 1,000 individuals in the US, ages 18 or older, were surveyed, and the sample was census-balanced by age and gender. The study found that:

More than half of Americans lack an understanding of lupus.

• The survey found that 53% of respondents know very little or nothing about lupus, or have not heard of the disease. 30% of respondents heard of the disease but knew little about it; 16% heard of the disease but knew nothing about it; and 7% had not heard of the disease.
• A 2019 survey conducted by the LFA found that 63% of respondents knew very little, nothing or had not heard of lupus. While this most recent survey shows an improvement in understanding of lupus, there is still work to be done to improve a greater public understanding. 

Four in 10 didn’t know lupus was an autoimmune disease.

• 43% of respondents did not identify lupus as an autoimmune disease - not sure (17%), cancer (11%), infectious disease (8%), heart disease (1%), none of the answers (5%).

The impact of lupus on organs is not understood by many Americans.

• 44% of respondents didn’t know that lupus can impact any organ in the body.

Many Americans are aware of two of the most common symptoms of lupus.

• Americans most commonly believe extreme fatigue (51%) and painful or swollen joints (46%) to be health effects for patients with lupus.

42% of Americans know someone with lupus.

• 16% indicated that they have a family member or relative with lupus and 25% indicated that they have a friend, co-worker or know someone personally with lupus, showing the widespread impact of this disease.

Nearly half of Americans don’t know children can develop lupus.

• 40% of respondents were not sure if lupus can develop in children, while 8% indicated that lupus doesn’t develop in children.
• While lupus predominantly impacts people between the ages of 15-44, children can have lupus, too, and the disease tends to be more severe and aggressive in children and teens than in adults

Many Americans don’t recognize that lupus can be fatal.

• More than one third (38%) of respondents indicated that the statement “lupus can be fatal” as false, with 31% being unsure.

Americans are unaware of common lupus treatments.

• Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) of respondents didn’t know that medications for cancer, like chemotherapy, or malaria are used to treat lupus.