Quality of life perspective towards acne among adolescents at tertiary care center of Gujarat, India

Abstract

Introduction: Acne is the most common disease of skin affecting adolescents, which can have a significant psychological impact leading to anxiety and depression. Aims: Study was undertaken to see the impact of acne on the Quality of life M aterials and Methods: The study was conducted from March 2012 to February 2013, in the age group 14–25, using a validated self-administered questionnaire The questions were evaluated using 4 point Likert scale (0–3). S tatistical Analysis: Statistical calculations were done using Excel 2010 and Statgraphics Centurion XVI.I. R esults: Among 869 participants, 608(69.97%) had acne while 261 (30.03%) had no acne. Of acne sufferers 43.75% were males and 56.25% were females with maximum 67.93% in the age group 18–21. Of Non-acne participants 57.09% considered acne as a problem and 54.02% were disturbed by the idea of having acne. Study showed p-values<0.05 indicating statistically significant non-zero correlations at 95.0% confidence level. C onclusion: The quality of life scale of acne varies according to individual perception and differs from population to population. Questionnaire evaluation is a useful tool, but cannot replace proper psychological assessment.