The relationship between disease severity, disability and psychological distress in patients undergoing PUVA treatment for psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Patients suffering from severe psoriasis report high levels of personal distress and disability as a result of their disease.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between disease severity, personal distress and disability.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients provided a self-rating of disease severity and completed the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A dermatologist provided a clinical assessment from the case notes.


RESULTS
Although the clinical assessment was not related to patient ratings, patient-rated severity scores, GHQ and PDI were correlated with each other. GHQ could only be predicted by disease severity when it was mediated by PDI scores.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicated that psoriasis affects psychological distress through its effects on the patients' everyday lives.
Root
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield University, UK.
Kent
G
G
al-Abadie
M S
MS
D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index