Study of Clinico-demography and Impact on Quality of Life of Patients with Scalp Pruritus

BACKGROUND: Scalp pruritus is a common symptom in both dermatologic and nondermatologic conditions. Despite its prevalence, its clinico-demography and impact on quality of life (QoL) remain underexplored. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyze the clinico-demography of scalp pruritus and its effect on the QoL of patients attending the dermatology department at a tertiary care institute. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted over 18 months (July 2022 to January 2024). The sample size was 500, and patients were selected from the dermatology outpatient department. Demographics, etiology, pruritus severity (Visual Analog Scale), and QoL (using Dermatology Life Quality Index) were assessed. RESULTS: The most common dermatological causes were seborrheic dermatitis (45.4%) and psoriasis (10.6%). Non-dermatologic causes included diabetes mellitus (8.2%) and post-herpetic neuralgia (5.4%). Moderate to very severe pruritus was reported by 54.6% of patients. A small effect on QoL was reported by 37.4% patients, and an extremely large effect by 12.8%. LIMITATIONS: The study was single-centered and relied on subjective assessments. Confounding factors like comorbidities and medications were not fully explored. CONCLUSION: Scalp pruritus significantly impacts patients' QoL. A multidisciplinary approach addressing both dermatologic and systemic causes is essential for effective management.