An assessment of anxiety and dermatology life quality in patients with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Anxiety is a prevalent psychological factor associated with atopic dermatitis (AD). AD patients generally suffer from a high anxiety level, and psychological treatment documents a positive effect on the anxiety level, as well as the course and management of the disease. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) has been suggested as a relevant clinical measure in AD. This study investigated the relationship between the severity of AD, dermatological life quality and anxiety. Thirty-two adults suffering from AD were examined using the Severity Scoring of AD Index (SCORAD), the DLQI and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI). Twenty-two healthy controls were examined using the DLQI and STAI. Results showed that the AD group had higher anxiety and lower dermatological life quality than the control group. In the AD group a significant positive correlation was found between SCORAD and DLQI and between DLQI and STAI. However, no correlation was found between SCORAD and STAI. The results suggest that: (i) both severity of eczema and anxiety are important for dermatological life quality; (ii) psychological inferences should not be made from the severity of eczema, but from the psychological measures, and vice versa; and (iii) both dermatological and psychological assessment is important in AD.

The incidence of anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with dermatological diseases

“…However, we found no statistically significant differences in anxiety between men and the women in the group of patients with atopic dermatitis. Similarly, Linnet and Jemec (1999) found that there were no differences between genders in the group of patients with atopic dermatitis. An interesting finding is that the incidence of anxiety in women in the group of patients with acne was twice as high as in women in the group of patients with atopic dermatitis.Levels of depression were almost the same in men and women in both groups, which does not confirm findings by other authors (Gupta et al, 1994;Picardi et al, 2004) who found that there was higher depression and other mental health problems in women, since they perceive situations and events more emotionally than men.…”

“…The effects on quality of life in patients with acne have been stated in several studies (Do et al, 2009;Tasoula et al, 2012;Yap, 2012;El-Khateeb et al, 2014). Quality of life affected by atopic dermatitis has also been described by several authors (Linnet, Jemec, 1999;Turčeková, 2012). As there are differences between men and women in the experience of emotions, in the next part of the study we studied differences in anxiety, depression, and quality of life between genders in both groups of patients.…”

“…According to our findings, however, age does not appear to be a protective factor for the studied variables. Linnet and Jemec (1999) also state that neither quality of life nor anxiety relates to age in patients with atopic dermatitis. This finding was also supported by our results.…”

“…Perceptions of skin problems in patients with atopic dermatitis are crucial in prediction of quality of life (Wittkowski et al, 2004). Similarly, Linnet and Jemec (1999) state that the incidence of psychological morbidity relates more to subjective perceptions of severity of disease manifestations than to objectively evaluated severity of skin problems. From analysis of the literature, which indicates that atopic dermatitis involves numerous factors contributing to the presence of psychological morbidity in patients, we assumed there would be higher anxiety and depression, and lower quality of life in the group of patients with atopic dermatitis than in the group of patients with acne.…”

Avaliação da qualidade de vida dos pacientes adultos com dermatite atópica

“…A relação entre variáveis demográficas, fatores psicológicos, manifestações clínicas da DA tem sido investigada em vários estudos da literatura internacional (Linnet, Jemec, 1999;Kurwa, Finlay 1995;Eun, Finlay et al, 1990). No Brasil, não há estudos publicados que correlacionam a qualidade de vida e a DA de pacientes adultos.…”