Lifestyle Patterns and Their Psychosocial Correlates in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Healthy Lifestyle Index

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle is a key modifiable determinant of acute pancreatitis (AP) occurrence and recurrence. However, comprehensive lifestyle patterns and their psychosocial correlates in patients with AP remain insufficiently explored. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lifestyle status using a Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI) and to examine its associations with personality traits and social support in patients with AP. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 368 hospitalized patients with AP were enrolled from July 2021 to June 2023 at a tertiary hospital. The HLI was constructed based on five modifiable factors: body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet (score range 0-5). Personality traits were assessed using the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory-Brief Version, and social support was measured using the Social Support Rating Scale. Ordered multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with HLI levels. RESULTS: The mean HLI score was 2.66 ± 0.95, and only 18.7% of patients achieved a high HLI (4-5 points). In Model 1, female sex (OR=7.2, 95% CI: 4.5-11.8), older age (OR=1.0, 95% CI: 1.0-1.0), and conscientiousness (OR=1.0, 95% CI: 1.0-1.0) were positively associated with higher HLI levels, whereas hypertriglyceridemia (OR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.7) and extraversion (OR=0.9, 95% CI: 0.9-0.9) were inversely associated. In Model 2, female sex (OR=6.2, 95% CI: 3.9-10.1), conscientiousness (OR=1.0, 95% CI: 1.0-1.1), and social support (OR=1.0, 95% CI: 1.0-1.0) remained positively associated with HLI, while extraversion (OR=0.9, 95% CI: 0.9-0.9) and bedtime after 24:00 (OR=0.6, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) were associated with lower HLI levels. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle health among patients with AP was suboptimal. Sociodemographic factors, metabolic conditions, personality traits, and social support were independently associated with lifestyle patterns. These findings support the integration of psychosocial assessment into lifestyle management strategies for AP.