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Psychosocial burden of Hidradenitis Suppurativa patients’ partners
Author(s) -
Włodarek K.,
Głowaczewska A.,
Matusiak Ł.,
Szepietowski J. C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/jdv.16255
Subject(s) - hidradenitis suppurativa , medicine , psychosocial , quality of life (healthcare) , disease , severity of illness , disease burden , burden of disease , clinical psychology , psychiatry , nursing
Abstract Background Hidradenitis suppurativa is a debilitating disease related to a great psychosocial burden in affected patients and subsequently also people around them. Patients’ partners as caregivers may indirectly experience wide range of devastating effects of the disease on their emotional and social life. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the QoL impairment in HS patients’ partners and to identify its aspects that are affected the most. Correlation between QoL burden and disease severity, duration, sex, age and smoking was also assessed. Methods A total of 50 HS sufferers were assessed according to disease severity and their partners’ QoL was determined using the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. Results The mean FDLQI for patients’ partners was 8.7 ± 6.8 points, indicating generally a moderate effect of HS on their life. Quality of partners’ life correlated significantly with disease severity but no correlation was found according to other factors. Conclusion Hidradenitis suppurativa is a highly psychologically devastating disease not only for patients but also for their partners. It occurred to diminish partners’ QoL mostly by increasing daily expenditure but also other problems were often reported. Clinicians should be aware of these psychosocial implications, in order to provide optimal therapy of HS affected families by a multidisciplinary specialized management addressing both, patients and their cohabitants simultaneously.