Health‐Related Quality of Life and Psychological Burden of Patients With Vitiligo in Japan

Vitiligo is a disorder characterized by depigmentation of the skin and is known to impact patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In Japan, HRQoL studies on vitiligo remain limited in size and scope, and factors contributing to impaired HRQoL, as well as the psychological burden, have not been adequately evaluated. This study aimed to assess HRQoL and symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with vitiligo in Japan. A web-based survey was completed by 271 patients with vitiligo aged 18 to 79 years. The survey included the 12-item Short Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) to assess HRQoL, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The role/social component summary score (mean ± standard deviation) of the SF-12v2 in vitiligo patients was 45.8 ± 14.5, which was lower than the Japanese population norm (national standard values for Japanese). Based on the DLQI, which is specific to dermatologic diseases, 62.7% of patients reported at least a small effect on their daily lives. HADS anxiety and depression scores showed that 38.0% and 40.3% of patients, respectively, were classified as doubtful or definite cases. Subgroup analyses revealed that higher DLQI and HADS scores were associated with sex, age, disease duration, affected body surface area (BSA), and history of relapse. Notably, nonlinear associations in these measures were observed for disease duration and affected BSA, with the highest scores seen in patients with an intermediate range of disease duration and affected BSA. These findings underscore the need for timely and sustained treatment strategies to control symptoms, reduce psychological distress, and prevent relapse, which may help not only improve clinical outcomes but also maintain long-term HRQoL in individuals with vitiligo.