The Relationship between Disease Severity, Disability and Psychological Distress in Patients Undergoing PUVA Treatment for Psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Patients suffering from severe psoriasis report high levels of personal distress and disability as a result of their disease. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between disease severity, personal distress and disability. Methods: Twenty-two patients provided a self-rating of disease severity and completed the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A dermatologist provided a clinical assessment from the case notes. Results: Although the clinical assessment was not related to patient ratings, patientrated severity scores, GHQ and PDI were correlated with each other. GHQ could only be predicted by disease severity when it was mediated by PDI scores. Conclusions: These results indicated that psoriasis affects psychological distress through its effects on the patients’ everyday lives.

Psychological implications of Graves’ orbitopathy

“…Experience from other disfiguring conditions suggests that strategies which help the individual to confront rather than to avoid social situations are likely to be beneficial (37). Furthermore, the distress an individual feels may in part be associated with the stress of attempting to conceal a particular feature (38).…”

The Suitability of Quality-of-Life Questionnaires for Psoriasis Research

“…32 The presence of items on emotions was deliberately made part of the inclusion criteria of this review because feelings such as shame and embarrassment were considered to be crucial effects of psoriasis on patients' well-being. 15,17,19,20,22,24 The DLQI is a compact questionnaire developed for daily clinical practice and not for research. It consists of 10 items mainly focusing on limitations.…”

Disfigurement: Psychosocial Impact and Coping

“…Likewise, literature shows that sufferers experience increased levels of psychological and social distress [22], poor self body image and lower esteem than the general population [23]. Leary et al hypothesise that the degree of social anxiety experienced correlates with the individual's confidence in their ability to manage the impression they make on others [24].…”