The relationship between physical activity levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in individuals with alopecia Areata

Abstract

Background Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition that is characterised by non-scarring hair loss. Its aesthetic repercussions can lead to profound changes in psychological well-being. Although physical activity (PA) has been associated with better mental health outcomes in diverse populations, the association in individuals with AA has not been established. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between PA and mental health outcomes in individuals with AA to inform intervention strategies for this specific population. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals who were diagnosed with AA. A total of 83 respondents aged (40.95 ± 13.24 years) completed a self-report questionnaire consisting of International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Three-way contingency Chi-square analyses were used to determine the associations between PA, mental health outcomes and participants with hair loss of more than 50% on the scalp. Results 81.9% of the participants did not meet PA guidelines. Participants with hair loss of more than 50% on the scalp, and who did not meet PA guidelines, were significantly more likely to experience symptoms of severe depression ( p = .003), moderate anxiety ( p = .04) and mild stress ( p = .003) than those who met guidelines Conclusion Findings suggest that increased PA participation in AA individuals with severe hair loss is associated with improved mental health status. Intervention efforts for this specific population should consider barriers and enablers to PA participation as they face challenges that differ from the general population.

Physical Activity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Stress among the Chinese Adult Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Physical activity participation was found to be positively associated with HRQoL and negatively related to perceived stress. These statistics are supported by other similar studies where physically active people reported significantly higher HRQoL and lower levels of perceived stress [11,12]. Regular exercise has also been found to have the ability to reduce the severity of infections when people continued to remain active during the SARs period and they were more likely to survive compared with people who were more sedentary [34,35].…”

“…Additionally, researchers have demonstrated that there was a decrease in the level of outdoor physical activity and an increase in sedentary time during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of home confinement [3,10]. A reduction in physical activity participation is known to contribute to stress levels, which is strongly associated with HRQoL [11,12].…”

Stressful lie events in alopecia areata patients: A case control study

“…There was statistically significant difference between patients and controls (p=0.003). Many studies [14,15] which measured the frequency and number of stressful life events occurring over a specified period among alopecia areata suggested that such patients endured a significantly higher number of stressful life events than do controls suggesting that psychological distress may have contributed to the onset of alopecia areata.…”

“…Personal problems were more noted by women (p=0.050) and financial ones were more cited by men (p=0.003). Potential stressful situations for alopecia areata were personal problems and family problems, particularly in women [14]. Other studies [16][17][18] showed that many patients experienced the death of a close friend or family member and separation.…”

Current advances of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides in dermatology: a literature review

“…As a hair disease, alopecia has a great influence on the mental and psychological health of patients (Rajoo et al. 2019 ). Currently, the prevention and treatment of alopecia mainly includes surgical treatment and/or drug treatment.…”