Is psoriasis a psychosocial issue: Exploring the connection between anxiety, depression and psoriasis severity

Authors: Jeetendra Kumar, Pravesh Kumar, Umesh Kumar mishra, Anubhav Dwivedi, Monika Chaudhary

DOI: 10.18231/j.pjms.8814.1761294043

Keywords: Psoriasis, Anxiety, Depression.

Abstract: Introduction-Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that has a major negative effect on one's mental health. High levels of anxiety, especially social anxiety, are common in people with psoriasis, and depression is more common in those with psoriasis than in the general population. Aim-The present study aims to find out the relationship between anxiety and depression with the severity of psoriasis. Methods & materials-The current case control study was carried out at King George's Medical University U.P., Lucknow (KGMU) in cooperation with the departments of physiology, dermatology and psychiatry. Age of subjects enrolled in the study ranged between 19 to 65 years. Thirty patients with psoriasis were to be recruited for the study. The severity of psoriasis was determined using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI).The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is used to identify and measure anxiety and depression. Results-The study concluded that 83.3% of psoriasis patients had anxiety levels that ranged from borderline to abnormal and 93.3% of psoriasis patients had depression levels that ranged from borderline to abnormal. Conclusion-Anxiety and depression is more prevalent in psoriasis patient. Therefore, primary care physicians should consider assessment of anxiety and depression level during the treatment of psoriasis.