Impact of moderate-to-severe psoriasis on quality of life in China: a qualitative study

PURPOSE: Psoriasis is a serious health problem. Since limited research has investigated the impact of psoriasis on the quality of life of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, this study aimed to explore this issue. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted with 22 psoriasis patients from two cities in Shandong province of eastern China participating in one-to-one semi-structured in-depth interviews. RESULTS: Thematic analysis generated five major themes: (1) Symptoms, symptoms management and pain; (2) Functioning and activities of daily living (ADLs); (3) Psychological impact; (4) Social impact; (5) Employment and finances. CONCLUSION: Our study detailed the effects of psoriasis on patients’ symptoms, symptoms management and pain, functioning and activities of daily living (ADLs), psychological impact, social impact, employment and finances. These data can provide a reference for studying the quality of life in patients with psoriasis.