Investigation of the Prevalence of Depressive Illness in Vitiligo Patients: A Cross-sectional Study

Background Vitiligo, as a progressive skin disease, is associated with the public's negative attitudes toward this condition, as well as numerous social and familial problems that can lead to psychiatric disorders. Aim The present study was conducted to determine the frequency of depressive illness in patients with vitiligo. Methods This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted using census sampling on 178 patients with vitiligo who were referred to the skin clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital (RA) in Jiroft in 2023. Data were collected face-to-face using the Beck Depression Questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in SPSS-22 statistical software, with a significance level of p less than 0.05. Results The average age of the examined patients was 31.4 ± 6.8 years. Of the participants, 53.3% were women and 46.7% were men. The frequency of individuals exhibiting moderate and severe depressive symptoms was 17.9% and 28.8%, respectively. The prevalence of depressive illness was higher among married women compared to single women. Conclusion The high prevalence of depressive illness symptoms in these patients underscores the urgent need for effective interventions and treatment strategies to address this mental health concern. The findings of this study highlight the necessity for continuous surveillance and monitoring of depressive illness prevalence and its risk factors, which will inform the development of effective interventions and policies aimed at mitigating this mental health issue.