A cross-sectional study of psychiatric co-morbidity and quality of life in patients with psoriasis in a tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND: • Psoriasis being a chronic relapsing skin condition is often found difficult to manage. Psychological factors might be playing a role in frequent relapses. According to one study Prevalence of psychiatric co morbidity varies from 40-70%.Psoriasis can have a profound impact on a patient’s quality of life.Most of the data available on psychiatric morbidity is from west. Present study was planned to know the Psychiatric morbidity, their demographics and quality of life (QoL) in patients with psoriasis. AIM: • To determine the prevalence of Psychiatric morbidity in patients with Psoriasis. • To assess the quality of life in Psoriasis patients. METHODS: • 70 consecutive patients diagnosed as having psoriasis attending Dermatology OPD at a tertiary care centre were assessed by using MINI-PLUS and DQLI. RESULTS: • Data were analyzed using statistical software called SPSS V.20.61% of patients with psoriasis were found to have psychiatric co-morbidity. Major Depressive disorder (26%), Adjustment disorder with depressed mood (10%) and Adjustment disorder with anxiety (8%), Nicotine dependence(8%), Dysthymia (4%), Alcohol dependence (4%) and Social Phobia (1%) were found in the sample. The mean DLQI score was 13.8.QoL was impaired in young patients, single, having medium level education. CONCLUSION. • Psoriasis has a negative impact in the quality of life in patients with psoriasis, especially in younger and single patients. This study also revealed that there is a strong association of various psychosocial stress factors like Loneliness, Marital stress and Disgust towards skin appearance with psychiatric co-morbidity.