title: Stress, psychiatric co-morbidity and coping in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.
abstract: This study examined life event stress, perceived stress and psychiatric co-morbidity among patients with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU). It also investigated the relationship between coping, stress, the severity of CIU and psychiatric co-morbidity. Total of 100 CIU patients and 60 allergy patients participated in the study. They completed the General Health Questionnaire, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Ways of Coping Checklist. Compared with allergy patients, CIU patients had worse co-morbidity and higher levels of life event stress and perceived stress. Emotion-focussed coping was associated with the severity of CIU; perceived stress was associated with co-morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology Teaching Unit, Peninsula Allied Health Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL6 8BH, UK. m.chung@plymouth.ac.uk
authors.forename: Man Cheung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Symons
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilliam
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kaminski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014581:Urticaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult