Psychosocial Distress and Quality of Life Among Patients With Chronic Skin Disorders in Eastern India: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study
October 2022
in “
Cureus
”
TLDR Patients with chronic skin disorders often experience depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life and may benefit from psychiatric help.
The study conducted in Eastern India involved 101 patients with chronic skin disorders and 101 controls. It found that 49.5% of the patients had significant impairment in their dermatological quality of life. Clinically significant depression and anxiety were found in 45.54% and 41.58% of patients respectively, with odds of having depression and anxiety significantly higher in patients than controls. However, there was no significant difference in health-related quality of life scores. The study concluded that patients with chronic skin disorders should be screened for anxiety, depression, and quality of life, and those in need should be offered psychiatric consultation.
