title: Exploring the Psychological Profile of Patients with Delusional Infestation.
abstract: Delusional infestation (DI) is an uncommon psychiatric disorder in which patients present with the false and fixed belief (i.e. a delusion) that their skin and/or their environment is infested despite objective evidence to the contrary. Within psychodermatology specialist clinics there is a high rate of DI referrals. What is not known is the level of psychiatric and psychological co-morbidities associated with DI and whether psychiatric or psychological assessment would be warranted. One-hundred and thirty-eight adult patients with DI attending an outpatient psychodermatology clinic were given 3 standardised questionnaires. The results showed that 81% had a poor quality of life; 52% with anxiety, 41.6% with depression and 49% with appearance-related concerns. This study indicates high levels of psychiatric and psychological disorders in DI which require assessment and appropriate intervention.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Royal London Hospital, E1 1BB London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Reena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bewley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055535:Morgellons Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies