[Evaluation of the quality of life and psychological distress of patients with different dermatoses in a dermatology referral center in southern Brazil].
BACKGROUND
Some dermatoses affect the personal, professional and social lives of patients as a result of their unsightliness. It is important to pay appropriate attention in the overall evaluation of these individuals in order to implement a more effective therapeutic approach.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the quality of life and the incidence of psychological distress in patients receiving care at a dermatology clinic.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study. Following consultation, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) were applied.


RESULTS
One thousand patients were interviewed, 77.2% of whom were women. Most patients were in the 4160 year age-group. Dermatoses had no effect at all on the quality of life of 21.5% of patients, a small effect in 34.2% of cases, a moderate effect in 21.6%, a very large effect in 19.3% and an extremely large effect in 3.4% of patients. No statistically significant correlation was found between psychological distress and dermatoses. Comparison of the two questionnaires showed a statistically significant association between the presence of psychological distress and poorer quality of life (p<0.001). Patients with psychological distress reported that their skin condition had a very large or extremely large effect on their quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the fact that many skin diseases affect the quality of life and psychological state of the sufferer, affecting his/her health in general, the progression of the skin condition and the patient's response to therapy.
Taborda
Maria Laura
ML
Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Brasil. mlaura@taborda.med.br <mlaura@taborda.med.br>
Weber
Magda Blessmann
MB
Teixeira
Kelly Abreu Machado
KA
Lisboa
Alice Paixão
AP
Welter
Elisângela de Quevedo
Ede Q
D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*