Quality of life in patients with psoriasis

Abstract

Introduction

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting diverse racial/ethnic groups throughout the world. It has a major impact on the patient’s quality of life, influencing career, social activities, family relationships, and all other aspects of life

Objectives

To evalue the quality of life in patients with psoriasis

Methods

Participants were outpatients of Hedi chaker University Hospital Center in sfax, Tunisia, recruited between January and July of 2017, diagnosed with psoriasis. A Demographic questionnaire and the Quality of life Questionnaire (SF-36) were administered in this study.

Results

44 patients were included in this study. They had with a mean age of 45.8 ±12.1. The majority of patients were married (70.5%), unemployed (40.5%), without medical heredity (84,6%). Psoriasis was in plaque (65.9%), guttate (20.5%) and pustular(13.6.5%). Its severity assessed by BSA, was mild to moderate in 72.7% of cases and associated arthropathy was noted in 29.5% of patients. The overall average SF-36 scale scores for all patients ranged from 4 to 98 with an average of 55.97. The quality of life of patients was impaired in 45.5% of casesQuality of life was significantly more impaired in patients with associated arthropathy (p=0.004). There is no significant differences for the different dimensions of quality of life regarding the clinical form of psoriasis.

Conclusions

Psoriasis certainly has an impact on patients’ quality of life.So, dermatologists should give special attention to this subgroup of persons in order to prevent future psychopathology.