Clinical Characteristics Associated with Illness Perception in Psoriasis

Abstract

Knowledge of illness perception may aid the identification of groups of patients with a higher risk of coping poorly with the demands of their illness. This study aims to investigate associations between illness perception, clinical characteristics, patient knowledge, quality of life and subjective health in persons with psoriasis. The present study was based on cross-sectional data from patients awaiting climate therapy in Gran Canaria. We included 254 eligible patients (74%) who completed a questionnaire including the revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Psoriasis Knowledge Questionnaire, and the Dermatological Life Quality Index. Disease severity was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Several statistically significant associations between clinical characteristics, knowledge and various illness perception dimensions were found. Illness perception was also significantly related to disease-specific quality of life and subjective health. These findings contradict previous findings, which suggested that objective disease factors are not relevant to illness perception in psoriasis.

Quality of life in psoriasis patients

“…In contrast, studies have shown that the overall PASI was not associated with patients' belief about the cause, cure/control, consequences, chronicity or symptoms perceived [3]. Wahl et al [14] demonstrated that patients who had more knowledge and higher education had less perceived consequences of psoriasis and a better personal understanding of the disease. Those who felt competent and had control over their life may have more effective coping strategies when facing challenges posed by a chronic illness.…”

“…Research has shown that factors such as social stigmatization, high stress levels, physical limitations, depression, employment problems and other psychosocial conditions, including social anxiety and negative coping, experienced by patients with psoriasis are not uniformly proportional to, or indeed predicted by, various measures of disease severity, such as the body surface area involvement or plaque severity [14,36,37]. Furthermore, satisfaction with treatment and the formulation of treatment goals seem to be predictors of QoL.…”

“…Wahl et al [14] were among the first to study the illness perception in 214 psoriasis patients. Patients were investigated to elucidate the associations between illness perception, clinical characteristics, patient knowledge, QoL and subjective health.…”

“…Furthermore, a regular and evidence-based screening of psoriasis patients for early joint symptoms still needs to be incorporated into daily dermatological practice [13]. Psoriasis patients report physical discomfort, impaired emotional functioning, a negative body and self-image, and limitations in their daily activities, social contacts and skin-exposing activities, and work (TABLE 1) [14]. The systemic inflammation may increase the risk of other chronic diseases as associations with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome have been established.…”

Are Illness Perceptions Associated With Disease Activity or Psychological Well-Being in Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Study With the Evidence of Confirmatory Factor Analysis

“…On the other hand, a lower level of control over RA may be connected to longer disease duration. In a study by Wahl et al, 38 it was found that higher educational level was significantly associated with higher scores for illness coherence in patients with psoriasis. In the current study, the association between years of education and personal control may indicate that RA patients with lower years of education may feel they have no control over their disease.…”