EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SKIN DISEASES ON ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, LONELINESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Background/aim: The aim of the current study is to find out the impact of skin diseases (acne, melasma, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis and alopecia) on anxiety, depression, loneliness, and quality of life.Materials and methods: Two hundred individuals with a mean age (35.89 10.83) participated in the study.Among these 100 were skin diseases patients, whereas another 100 matched in age, education, and socioeconomic status served as controls (healthy) group.The measures used were a demographic sheet, the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), the Loneliness scale, and the WHO-Quality of life (QOL).Purposive sampling technique was used to collect the data.Results: Multiple regression analysis indicates a significant impact of predictor variables (acne, melasma, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis and alopecia) on anxiety (R2= .76,p <.001), depression ((R2= .78,p <.001), Loneliness (R2= .65,p <.001), and QOL (R2= .58,p <.001).However, alopecia has no significant effect on the outcome variables.Conclusion: Acne, melasma, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and alopecia have significant effects on anxiety, depression, loneliness, and quality of life.Alopecia has no significant impact on the outcome variables.