Psychosocial and Psychiatric Impact of Chronic Dermatological Disorders: A Cross-sectional Study in Ahmedabad, India

Skin diseases affect a significant portion of the population, with potentially severe consequences on physical and psychosocial well-being. However, skin disorders are often overlooked in healthcare discussions and funding allocation, despite their substantial impact on patients' lives.

The objective of this study was to investigate the psychosocial and psychiatric impact of chronic dermatological disorders among patients. Additionally, the study examined how various factors, such as age, gender, disease severity and socioeconomic status, influence the impact of dermatological disorders on psychosocial well-being.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ahmedabad, India, from August 2022 to 2023. A total of 244 patients with chronic dermatological disorders, aged 12 to 75 years, were included in the study. Trained dermatologists diagnosed the skin conditions, and participants provided written informed consent. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire covering demographic information, disease characteristics and psychosocial factors. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was used to assess quality of life (QoL), and the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) measured psychiatric morbidity. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests and Chi-square tests were performed for data analysis using Jamovi 2.3.21.

Among the 244 participants, the majority were male (130, 53.27%), aged 26 to 50 years (124, 50.81%), married (140, 57.38%) and educated (208, 85.25%). Most patients were Hindu (201, 82.38%) and were living above the poverty line (81, 66.80%). Chronic skin conditions were predominantly non-infective (175, 71.72%), with a significant impact on QoL. The DLQI revealed that 95.08% (232) of patients experienced varying degrees of psychosocial impact. The GHQ-28 identified psychiatric morbidity in 41.80% (102) of patients, with atypical distress being the most common (28.43%). Disease severity, disease location, duration and body surface area involvement significantly influenced the psychosocial impact and psychiatric morbidity.

Chronic skin disorders significantly impact patients' QoL, raising the risk of psychiatric issues. Disease factors, such as severity and location, play a vital role. Addressing psychosocial aspects is crucial.