Prevalence of psychological factors in chronic dermatoses

Aim To investigate, retrospectively, psychiatric consultation results of inpatients staying in Fırat University Dermatology Clinic. Materials and method Records of 520 inpatients who were treated in Fırat University Dermatology Clinic between May 2000 and May 2003 were examined and their psychiatric consultation reports were retrospectively evaluated. Results Of the 520 patients who were included in the study, 272 were female and 248 were male. Ninety-two patients were asked to have psychiatric consultation and when consultation results of these patients were examined it was seen that 67 of them (61.7%) were given a psychiatric diagnosis. Of the 67 patients who were given a psychiatric diagnosis, 34 (50.7%) were female and 33 (49.3%) were male. Mean age of the patients was 39.4 (the youngest being 24 and the oldest 63). It was established that 35.9% of patients (24 individuals) were diagnosed as depressive disorder, 29.8% (20 individuals) as anxiety disorder, 13.4% (nine individuals) as mixed depressive anxiety disorder, 13.4% (nine individuals) as borderline personality disorder and 7.5% (five individuals) as obsessive-compulsive disorder, and that psychiatric treatment was started in 91% of patients. Dermatological diagnoses of patients who were given psychiatric diagnoses were as follows in order of frequency: psoriasis in 22 patients (32.9%), urticaria in 31 patients (46.2%), prurigo nodularis in five patients (7.4%) and others in nine patients (13.5%), respectively. Conclusions Dermatological diseases and psychiatric disorders frequently go together. Psychiatric treatment was started in a high number of patients who were given psychiatric diagnoses and had dermatological problems in the present study. Referring patients with chronic dermatological problems to the psychiatry clinic with a view to supporting their dermatological treatments, we believe, will increase the success rate of dermatosis treatment.