Submission ID 130542
| Issue/Objective | While the global prevalences for depression and anxiety disorders are estimated at 3.8% and 4% of the population, these can ascend to 27.2% and 28.8%, respectively, in the dermatology population. Disease- and treatment-related variables play a minor role in explaining the high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, and additional psychosocial risk factors need to be identified. Using a newly developed, patient-led and validated tool - the Patient-Reported Impact of Dermatological Diseases (PRIDD), this study examined the associations between clinical characteristics, disease burden, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of mental health. |
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| Methodology/Approach | The Global Research on the Impact of Dermatological Diseases (GRIDD) was a cross-sectional survey, available online in 17 different languages, and conducted between June 2023 and January 2024. Eligible participants were adults (≥ 18 years) with a self-reported dermatological condition, recruited globally through patient organizations and social media. Participants completed the PRIDD questionnaire (16 items assessing physical, life responsibilities, psychological and social impact domains; total score ranging from 0 - no impact to 63 - very severe impact), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), The General Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7), and provided demograhic and disease-related information (e.g., primary diagnosis, comorbidities, disease severity). |
| Results | In total, 4138 participants completed the GRIDD survey and 3680 were retained for analyses, after excluding those who did not meet the inclusion criteria or had missing data in core variables. Participants were 76.4% female patients, mean age of 48.7±15.7 years (range 18-98), from 87 different countries, and representing 114 dermatological conditions (e.g., 12.8% Lichen Sclerosus, 12.3% Psoriasis, 8.2% Hidradenitis Suppurativa, 6.9% Vitiligo). A total of 1349 (36.7%) patients scored above the threshold for clinically significant depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) and 956 (26.0%) patients for clinical anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 10). Higher impact of the dermatological condition on patients' lives was moderately associated with more symptoms of depression and anxiety (r = 0.62 and 0.56, respectively), with patients who reported severe and very severe disease burden at high risk for clinically significant depression and anxiety problem (Figures 1-2). Patient and disease characteristics explained, respectively, 3.9 and 20.1% of depression scores and 5.2% and 15.0% of anxiety scores; disease impact explained an additional 22.6% and 22.8% of the variance in depression and anxiety (Table 1). |
| Discussion/Conclusion | These results highlight the importance of capturing the multidimensional burden of skin conditions on patients' lives, as significant risk factors for mental health problems. The psychosocial impact of dermatological diseases should be targeted in multidisciplinary primary and secondary care of dermatology patients. The healthcare systems globally need to consider the prevalence of the risk of mental health challenges in skin patients, in every facet of decision making. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Allison FitzGerald GlobalSkin Allison FitzGerald GlobalSkin Caroline Stuhlmann University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Neuza da Silva Burger University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Rachael Pattinson School of Dentistry Jennifer Austin GlobalSkin Matthias Augustin University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) |
