Quality of Life in Psoriasis Patients

Park, Hyun Ho; Kim, Hwi Jun; Song, Ji Young; Kim, Nack In

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease and it has been shown to impact the quality of life (QOL) of the patients to which was known to be almost the same degree as other more life threatening disorders. Until now little is known about the impact of psoriasis on QOL in Korean psoriasis patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate psoriasis related to the quality of life on the physical, social, psychologic aspects. METHOD: We applied forty one questionnaires to 100 psoriasis patients. And all the patient's condition was evaluated by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). RESULTS: 1. Disability score of PDI on the physical, social, and psychological aspects were 2.20, 1.65, and 1.78, respectively. 2. Physical disability showed no differences according to age(between below 39 years old group and above 40 years old group), marriage, and sex. However, the group with higher PASI score (>15) showed more disability than the group with lower PASI score in the physical aspect (p<0.01). 3. Social disability showed no differences according to marriage and sex. But, above 40 years old group showed more disability than below 39 years old group (p<0.05), the higher PASI score (>15) group showed more disability than the lower PASI score group in the social aspect (p<0.01). 4. Psychologic disability showed no differences according to sex, and psychologic aspect. However, above 40 years old group showed more disability than below 39 years old group (p<0.01), and the higher PASI score (>15) group showed more disability than the lower PASI score group in the psychologic aspect (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Most of psoriasis patients had moderate to severe disadvantage in their QOL. Therefore, it is important for the dermatologist to recognize patient's physical, social, and psychologic distress on counseling and management. And further research is needed to determine appropriate parameter to measure the degree of disability of psoriasis patients on quality of life aspect.