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Health‐related quality of life in adolescents with psoriasis: an interview‐based study
Author(s) -
Randa H.,
Lomholt J.J.,
Skov L.,
Zachariae R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.16326
Subject(s) - psoriasis , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , psychology , gerontology , family medicine , dermatology , nursing
Summary Background Psoriasis is a common skin disease affecting the physical, psychological and social well‐being of patients and their families. Most research so far has been limited to adults, and little is known about the qualitative experiences of young people with psoriasis. Objectives To provide an in‐depth understanding of the impact of psoriasis on adolescents’ health‐related quality of life ( HRQ oL). Methods Patients and their parents were recruited from a dermatology outpatient clinic, the Danish National Birth Cohort and the Danish Psoriasis Association. Thirty‐six semistructured interviews were conducted with adolescents with psoriasis aged 12–17 years ( n = 18), their parents ( n = 14) and health professionals working with psoriasis ( n = 4). Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results The participants reported psoriasis‐related HRQ oL challenges within six main themes: physical symptoms, feeling different, psoriasis‐related worry about the future, increased attention, attempts to conceal skin, and treatment‐related frustrations and worry. Taken together, a broad range of the reported difficulties appeared to arise from appearance‐related concerns. The impact of psoriasis and its treatment on the adolescents’ daily lives varied considerably. Conclusions This first in‐depth, qualitative study of HRQ oL in adolescents with psoriasis provides a conceptual framework for understanding the impact of psoriasis and its treatment on the physical, psychological and social aspects of their daily lives.