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Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Skin disease and stigma in emerging adulthood: impact on healthy development
Neda Roosta1, David S Black, David Peng
1Institute of health Promotion and Disease prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. nroosta.usc.edu
Background:
Visible skin disorders can limit healthy psychosocial development in several domains owing to the stigma these disorders create.
Objective:
To assess if emerging adults with acne and eczema perceive stigma in diverse developmental domains resulting from their visible skin conditions.
Methods:
A convenience sample of 336 emerging adults attending a diverse public university in northern California completed a Web-based survey. Multivariate modeling was used to determine if eczema and acne result in perceived stigma.
Results:
The mean (SD) age of respondents was 20.1(1.5) years; most were white (43.2%) and female (62.5%). Almost half (47%) reported acne and 16.4% reported eczema. The likelihood of experiencing perceived stigma was 1.6 (95% CI 1.13-2.27, p < .001) times higher for those with eczema compared to those without eczema, and the likelihood of experiencing perceived stigma was 3.19 (95% CI 2.41-4.22, p < .0001) times higher for those with acne compared to those without acne.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that emerging adults perceive stigma as a result of their acne and eczema in several important developmental domains. The results suggest that acne may have a stronger relationship with perceived stigma than eczema, perhaps owing to its greater visibility on the body. University-based activities are recommended to support those with skin disease.
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