Psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in skin diseases: A comparison of alopecia areata and psoriasis

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) and psoriasis are associated with various psychiatric comorbidities. Both greatly affect the quality of life (QOL) of patients and psychiatric comorbidities can further worsen it. Thus there is need to recognise psychiatric comorbidities and treat them in these patients. AIMS: To determine the psychiatric morbidity and the QOL in these patients to study the factors affecting them. METHODOLOGY: 50 patients each of psoriasis and AA were included. 50 people accompanying these patients served as control group. They were diagnosed for psychiatric disorders by clinical interview. Scales used were severity of alopecia tool for AA, psoriasis area and severity index for psoriasis, WHO-QOL scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for anxiety and depression. RESULTS: 22% and 38% patients in AA and psoriasis group respectively suffered from psychiatric disorder, depression was present in 18% and 24% of patients and 4% and 12% had anxiety disorders in respective groups. The control group had only 6% of psychiatric comorbidities. QOL scores had negative correlation with Hamilton-A, Hamilton-D and severity of psoriasis scores and they were statistically significant but not with severity of AA. CONCLUSION: Thus AA and psoriasis patients had more prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities and it had bearing on their QOL.