Severity of anxiety in patients with psoriasis attending a tertiary hospital – A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory, and proliferative skin condition, exhibits systemic effects in the various organ systems. Anxiety, marked by enduring feelings of worry, fear, and apprehension, is defined by anticipation of future threats. Psychological stress is acknowledged as a trigger for psoriasis, as it can influence immune function. In this study, patients with psoriasis were examined to estimate the prevalence of anxiety. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 140 patients with psoriasis attending a tertiary care hospital. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale was used to assess anxiety in psoriasis patients. Results: In this study, it was found that 60.7% ( n = 85) of the participants experienced anxiety. Among those with anxiety, it was observed that 20.7% ( n = 29) reported mild anxiety, followed by mild-to-moderate anxiety in 17.9% ( n = 25), moderate-to-severe in 17.1% ( n = 24), and severe in 5% ( n = 7). There was a significant correlation between anxiety and age ( r = 0.393), marital status ( P = 0.019), and duration of illness ( r = 0.463) of the patient. Conclusion: The present study concludes that there is the increased prevalence of anxiety in psoriasis patients with significant relationship between anxiety and age, marital status, and duration of illness (mean duration of illness is 49.03 months); emphasizing the need for identifying comorbid psychiatric illnesses in psoriasis patients as timely detection and appropriate management planning will help them to have better adjustment and improves their quality of life.