Background and Objectives: Stigma and lack of acceptance in society might have detrimental effects on the quality of life of patients with psoriasis, sometimes being comparable with other chronic diseases and conditions that affect the appearance of a patient, such as burns. Therefore, we surveyed our patients diagnosed with psoriasis to determine the implications of misinformation and stigma for their quality of life, depression, and coping strategies stratified by different age categories. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed for a sample size of a minimum of 45 patients considering a prevalence of psoriasis of 2–3% in the general population. The study participants (patients and controls) were given both a paper-based unstandardized questionnaire and an online version of three standardized surveys. The cohort of patients was further split into three age groups to determine their age-related quality of life and coping mechanisms. Results: The proportion of patients with a history of depression and depressive symptoms among patients with psoriasis was significantly higher. Multiple discrepancies were observed between patients and controls regarding questions that targeted stigma and misinformation. On the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE-60) questionnaire, older patients were more likely to use positive coping mechanisms such as engagement and problem-focused coping, while the young patients were using more emotion-focused coping mechanisms. However, patients in the 30–50 age range group scored the highest on physical and mental health among all participants who filled the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) survey. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) results showed significantly more patients answering “a lot and very much” concerning embarrassment and social activities, while sexual difficulties affected the older patients. The strongest correlations with depression were observed in the young patient group, who believed that psoriasis can cause skin cancer (rho = 0.418) and who had sexual difficulties (rho = 0.414) and embarrassment (rho = 0.359) as evaluated by the DLQI survey. In the 30- to 50-year-old group, the strongest correlations were with the feeling of being stigmatized (rho = 0.376), having sexual difficulties (rho = 0.367) and disengagement coping style (rho = 273). Conclusions: While the respondents are reasonably well-informed regarding psoriasis, a degree of stigma remains, likely due to involuntary emotional responses such as repulsion and embarrassment. It is essential to establish initiatives aimed at educating the general public, raising awareness, and establishing a more tolerant social environment for psoriasis patients.
Background: Psoriasis is a common, inflammatory immune-mediated dermatosis, occurring in patients of all ages, sexes, and races, associating significant comorbidities. One such comorbidity is represented by psychological disorders, which negatively influence the clinical course of the disease. The purpose of our study is to offer a first glimpse into the stigmatization of Romanian psoriasis patients, as well as their potential anxious or depressive manifestations. Materials and methods: The present study is based on an adapted questionnaire previously used to estimate stigmatizing attitudes in the general population, mirrored to reflect the patients’ experience in social situations such as shaking hands, maintaining friendship, kissing, or intercourse. GAD7 and PHQ8 scales were used to screen for anxiety or depression traits in the same patients. Results: Our study group consisted of 12 psoriasis patients, with a mean age of 46.75 years. While few patients reported feeling discriminated against in social contexts, 16.66% presented with mild depressive symptoms recorded by PHQ8 and 24.99% presented mild anxiety manifestations according to their GAD7 scores. Conclusion: In spite of the small sample group, our study outlines a tendency for depressive and anxious manifestations in patients with psoriasis.
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