title: Quality of life, self-esteem and psychosocial factors in adolescents with acne vulgaris.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatological diseases, among which acne vulgaris, have psychological impact on the affected generating feelings of guilt, shame and social isolation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare quality of life, self-esteem and other psychosocial variables amongst adolescents with and without acne vulgaris, and between levels of severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study in a sample of 355 high school students from the city of João Pessoa. Data collection was performed with questionnaires and clinical-dermatological evaluation. The primary variables were the incidence of AV; quality of life, set by the Children's Dermatology Quality of Life Index and Dermatology Quality of Life Index; and self-esteem, measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. For calculation of statistical tests, we used the SPSS 20.0 software, considering p=0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample, with an average age of 16, showed 89.3% prevalence of acne vulgaris. The most prevalent psychosocial issue was "afraid that acne will never cease", present in 58% of affected youth. The median score of Quality of Life in Children's Dermatology Index was different amongst students with and without acne vulgaris (p=0.003), as well as the Quality of Life in Dermatology (p=0.038) scores, so that students with acne vulgaris have worse QoL. There was a correlation between the severity of acne vulgaris and worse quality of life. Self-esteem was not significantly associated with the occurrence or severity of acne vulgaris.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  acne vulgaris assumes significance in view of its high prevalence and the effect on quality of life of adolescents, more severe at the more pronounced stages of disease (p<0.001). The psychosocial impact of acne vulgaris should be valued in the management of patients with this condition.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Nunes
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Vilar
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil.
authors.forename: Laís Araújo dos
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jader Freire
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sobral Filho
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors