title: Psychiatric morbidity in vitiligo: prevalence and correlates in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo, a common pigmentary disorder, is recognized to be associated with a high psychiatric morbidity, yet compared to other dermatological disorders like leprosy, psoriasis, etc., it has not been subjected to detailed evaluation of its psychological consequences. The data from the developing countries on this aspect in particular is meager.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirteen cases with vitiligo were evaluated along with 55 healthy controls comparable for sociodemographic profile and matched on attitude to appearance scale. Clinical details, impact of illness, associated dysfunction and psychological morbidity were additionally assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight patients with vitiligo were found to have psychiatric morbidity, a clinic prevalence rate of 25% (95% confidence interval 20.3-29.3%). The majority of the cases had a diagnosis of adjustment disorder. Psychiatric morbidity was significantly correlated with dysfunction arising out of illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitiligo is associated with high psychiatric morbidity. There is a need to develop cross-cultural database on psychosocial aspects and psychiatric morbidity associated with vitiligo.
authors.affiliation: ddtc@satyam.net.in
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mattoo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malhotra
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D015995:Prevalence; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*