title: Quality of life in alopecia areata: a sample of tunisian patients.
abstract: Background. Alopecia areata (AA) has a significant impact on the quality of life and social interaction of those suffering from it. Our aim was to assess the impact of AA on the quality of life. Methods. Fifty patients diagnosed with AA seen in the Department of Dermatology of Hedi Chaker University Hospital, between March 2010 and July 2010, were included. Quality of life was measured by SF 36; severity of AA was measured by SALT. Results. Eighty percent had patchy alopecia with less than 50% involvement, 12% had patchy alopecia with 50-99% involvement, and 8% had alopecia totalis. Compared with the general population, AA patients presented a significantly altered quality of life, found in the global score and in five subscores of the SF-36: mental health, role emotional, social functioning, vitality, and general health. Gender, age, marital status, and severity of alopecia areata had a significant influence on patients' quality of life. Conclusions. This study indicates that patients with AA experience a poor quality of life, which impacts their overall health. We suggest screening for psychiatric distress. Studies of interventions such as counseling, psychoeducation, and psychotherapeutic interventions to reduce the impact of the disease may be warranted.
authors: Department of Psychiatry A, Hédi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors: Jawaher
authors: J
authors: Masmoudi
authors: Rim
authors: R
authors: Sellami
authors: Uta
authors: U
authors: Ouali
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Mnif
authors: Ines
authors: I
authors: Feki
authors: Mariam
authors: M
authors: Amouri
authors: Hamida
authors: H
authors: Turki
authors: Abdellaziz
authors: A
authors: Jaoua
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