Health-related quality of life in psoriasis: important role of personal resources

Acta Derm Venereol. 2013 Sep 4;93(5):551-6. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1530.

Abstract

Many patients with psoriasis demonstrate psychological disturbances, including decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate selected personal resources and HRQoL in 168 in-patients with psoriasis vulgaris. The following questionnaires were used: Skindex-29, General Health Questionnaire, Coping with Skin Disease Scale, Acceptance of Illness Scale, Life Orientation Test, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale and General Self-Efficacy Scale. It was demonstrated that younger patients experienced fewer problems in psychosocial functioning, and that they showed a correlation between worse HRQoL and both external powerful others and external chance domains in locus of health control. Subjective self-evaluation of health correlated with HRQoL irrespective of patient's age. Coping with stress strategies hopelessness/helplessness and distraction/catastrophization correlated with worse overall HRQoL, whereas fighting spirit strategy correlated with better overall HRQoL. Hopelessness/helplessness coping strategy, somatic symptoms, disease acceptance, psoriasis severity and patient's age explained 61% of overall HRQoL variance. Psychomedical interventions designed for psoriatic patients should take into account the above variables.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cost of Illness
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Health Status Indicators
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Psoriasis / diagnosis
  • Psoriasis / psychology*
  • Quality of Life*
  • Risk Factors
  • Self Efficacy
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult