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Psychological burden of psoriatic patients in a German university hospital dermatology department
Author(s) -
Sondermann Wiebke,
Fiege Oliver,
Körber Andreas,
Scherbaum Norbert
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/1346-8138.15721
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatology life quality index , psoriasis , anxiety , depression (economics) , quality of life (healthcare) , psychiatry , mental health , comorbidity , dermatology , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Psoriasis has a strong impact on patients’ lives and is closely linked to psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance‐related disorders, especially dependence on alcohol and nicotine. The aim of our study was to systematically assess the psychiatric comorbidity and possible associations between psychological factors, disease severity and dermatology‐related quality of life in psoriatic patients from a high‐need university hospital dermatology department. Consecutive psoriatic patients (new and permanent patients) at the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany, were asked to fill out a paper‐based questionnaire. In the first part of the questionnaire, baseline demographics, pre‐existing mental disorders and data on substance abuse were collected. In the second part of the questionnaire, mental and physical health was explored using different validated self‐rating tests. The current Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was documented by a dermatologist. Patients with signs of mental disorders were offered an appointment with a board‐certified psychiatrist. Between August 2016 and February 2019, 228 consecutive psoriatic patients (138 men [60.5%], 90 women [39.5%]; mean age, 48.3 years [standard deviation, 13.6; range, 18–80]) participated in the study. Approximately 50% of the patients had evidence of suffering from mental health problems, mostly depression and anxiety, as well as alcohol dependence. Patients with a PASI of 3 or more showed a statistically significant reduced Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and a significantly impaired psychological as well as physical quality of life. DLQI correlated with all psychological test results. The data indicate a significant psychological burden in a tertiary psoriatic population. Our findings underscore the importance of screening psoriatic patients for psychiatric disorders, with a focus on depression, anxiety as well as alcohol and nicotine dependence, in a multidimensional approach involving psychiatrists and psychologists.