Alopecia Areata in the Indian Subcontinent

The study investigated alopecia areata (AA) in 65 patients from the Indian subcontinent, examining epidemiology, clinical features, and psychological impact. It found that socioeconomic status and stress were significant factors in AA, with higher-income and more educated patients experiencing milder forms, and more severe forms in less-educated individuals. The pattern of AA also varied with family structure, being milder in nuclear and joint families and more severe in extended families. Men from nuclear families and women from extended families had a higher incidence of AA. The psychological impact, assessed by a questionnaire, was mostly mild or moderate. The study suggested that management of AA could be improved by addressing socioeconomic factors and recommended further research.