Study on the mental health of patients with atopic dermatitis in adults

General Health Questionaire of 60 symptoms proposed by Goldberg was used to study psychiatric condition of 74 patients with severe atopic dermatitis. The patients were composed of 26 males and 48 females. A matched healthy control was obtained from 65 persons of 22 males and 43 females. The patients showed remarkably higher scores than the healthy control in the sum of all morbid ratings and all four scales for somatic symptoms, anxiety and worry, social dysfunction and despondency and depressed mood. The results obtained indicate that atopic dermatitis could be not only disease of dermatology but also accompanied with psychiatric disturbances and even social disease. Then, we propose that intense provision of psychiatric support will be important and necessary to those patients with atopic disease.