title: The impact of skin diseases on quality of life: A multicenter study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, no formal study has been published regarding how Colombian patients with skin disorders could be affected according to their perception of disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the impact in quality of life of skin diseases in a Colombian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter study included patients with skin disease from almost the whole country. Individuals >18 years old; of any gender; with any skin disease and who signed informed consent, were included. We applied the Colombian validated version of the Skindex-29 instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1896 questionnaires had sufficient information for the analyses. No significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics of patients who returned the questionnaire incomplete vs. complete, were found. Participants mean age was 41.5 years. There were no statistical differences in men vs. women regarding the global (p=0.37), symptoms (p=0.71) and emotions (p=0.32) domains, whereas statistical differences were found in the function domain (p=0.04; Mann-Whitney U test). Psoriasis, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, hair disorders, Hansen's disease, scars, hyperhidrosis and genital human papillomavirus disease scored the highest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skindex-29 score variability as a result of differences in the location of the skin lesions, their inflammatory or non-inflammatory nature, and the start of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even the most localized or asymptomatic skin lesion in our population leads to a disruption at some level of patient's wellness. This study adds well supported scientific data of the burden of skin diseases worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación Dermatológica (GRID), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; IPS Universitaria, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. Electronic address: sanclementegloria@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanclemente
authors.affiliation: Centro de Especialistas del Sur, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.affiliation: Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nova
authors.affiliation: Liga contra el Cáncer de Risaralda, Pereira, Colombia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Grupo Colombiano de Psoriasis CoLPsor, Colombia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Universidad Libre de Colombia, Seccional Atlántico, Colombia.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Colombia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Córdoba
authors.affiliation: Hospital Erasmo Meoz de Cúcuta, Colombia y Hospital Emiro Quintero Cañizares de Ocaña, Colombia.
authors.forename: Á
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Arévalo
authors.affiliation: Liga de lucha contra el cáncer, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meléndez
authors.affiliation: Clínica de especialistas - Sogamoso, Boyacá, Colombia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colmenares
authors.affiliation: Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ariza
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación Dermatológica (GRID), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hernández
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Calidad de vida; Colombia; Quality of Life; Skindex-29