The Impact of Psoriasis in the Psychosocial Well Being of Chronic Psoriatic Patients and their Family Members: A Community Based Study

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a common and chronic dermopathy with significant impact in the physical activities and the psychosocial well being of the patients. Methods: The patients for the interview were selected from psoriatic patients with severe disease of at least 5 years duration, from those attending the Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital and B & B Hospital and those diagnosed of having psoriasis in the community interactive programme conducted during the study. Along with the patients some family members were also identified. Altogether 21 patients and 9 family members were interviewed. Results: Most patients and family members are convinced that it is not a contagious disease. Community members had mistaken it for leprosy and think that it is contagious. Patients tend to hide the disease and they worry that it will come in visible places and other members of community will see it. Spouse, family members and friends are in general supportive. Community members discriminate against the patients which is the main reason of fear and sadness in patients. Itching and scaling give problem to some extent. The patients were very sad and worried because the disease doesn't get cured, it may be related to some other serious disease and it may be transmitted to children. Conclusions: Social stigmatization is the main problem due to psoriasis and this in turn is responsible for sadness, fear and worry in the patient's life. Keywords: discrimination; impact; psoriasis; psychosocial well being.