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The relationship between disease severity, disability and psychological distress in patients undergoing PUVA
S Root1, G Kent, M S al-Abadie
1Department of Psychiatry, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield University, UK.
Background:
Patients suffering from severe psoriasis report high levels of personal distress and disability as a result of their disease.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between disease severity, personal distress and disability.
Methods:
Twenty-two patients provided a self-rating of disease severity and completed the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A dermatologist provided a clinical assessment from the case notes.
Results:
Although the clinical assessment was not related to patient ratings, patient-rated severity scores, GHQ and PDI were correlated with each other. GHQ could only be predicted by disease severity when it was mediated by PDI scores.
Conclusions:
These results indicated that psoriasis affects psychological distress through its effects on the patients' everyday lives.