The Burden of Disease in Alopecia Areata: Canadian Online Survey of Patients and Caregivers

    September 2022 in “ JMIR dermatology ”
    Anthony Justin Gilding, Nhung Ho, Elena Pope, Cathryn Sibbald
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    TLDR Alopecia Areata greatly affects the quality of life and mental health of Canadian patients and their caregivers.
    The study surveyed 115 adult patients, 14 pediatric patients, and 15 caregivers to assess the impact of Alopecia Areata (AA) on their quality of life (QoL) in Canada. The majority of patients (95%) reported feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious about their appearance, with many using hats, scarves, and hairpieces to camouflage hair loss. Social avoidance was common among 57.1% of pediatric and 65.2% of adult patients, and constant worry about losing hair was a concern for the same percentages in each group. Caregivers reported high levels of sadness or depression (mean score of 4.0) and guilt or helplessness (mean score of 4.2) regarding their child's AA. The study found that 61.7% of patients were at high risk of an adjustment disorder, with 34.8% showing abnormal anxiety scores and 17.4% showing abnormal depression scores. The study concludes that AA significantly burdens the QoL of Canadian patients and their caregivers.
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