According to a recent study published by Paller et al in JAMA Dermatology, stigmatization may be associated with mental health issues and lower quality of life in pediatric patients with chronic skin diseases, including acne, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo. In the cross-sectional study, investigators analyzed the data of 1,671 patients aged 8 to 17 years with chronic skin diseases residing in the United States and Canada between November 2018 and November 2021. They used the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Instrumentation System Stigma-Skin to determine the correlation between stigmatization and disease visibility and severity, as well as quality of life and mental health. The investigators found that 56.4% of the patients self-reported high disease visibility and 50.5% had moderate disease severity. Further, 27% of the patients had T scores of less than 40, representing minimal or no stigmatization, and 43.8% of them had T scores of 45 or greater, which signified moderate stigmatization. Higher T scores were found to be inversely associated with quality of life and peer relationships, and positively associated with depression and anxiety. Patients with hyperhidrosis and hidradenitis suppurativa were most likely to experience depression and anxiety. Female patients reported more stigmatization than male patients. The study authors emphasized that physicians treating pediatric patients with chronic skin diseases should consider stigmatization and bullying as risk factors for poorer social and mental health. They concluded: “The … results should encourage [physicians] to aggressively treat skin disorders in children and consider referral to evaluation and counseling of the child and potentially family if mental health issues occur.”
Stigmatization, Bullying in Pediatric Patients With Chronic Skin Diseases
Conexiant
May 7, 2024