Evaluation of Major Psychiatric Disorders in Patients in Rafsanjan, Iran, with Acne Vulgaris

Abstract

Background: Skin health and mental health are highly correlated. Considering that less attention has been paid to multidisciplinary fields, we evaluated the prevalence of mental disorders and related problems in patients with acne vulgaris in the city of Rafsanjan, Iran.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The study population included all patients with acne vulgaris in Rafsanjan who were referred in 2016 to a skin and hair clinic. After the patients agreed to participate, they underwent a psychological interview. Using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and suicide questionnaires, their data were recorded and collected. Data were then analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test.Results: Of 100 patients evaluated (48 women and 52 men), 8% had severe anxiety, 61% had moderate anxiety, and 31% had mild anxiety. Moreover, 64% of patients had mild depression, 29% had moderate depression, and 7% had severe depression. Of all patients, only one had a high risk for suicide attempts. We did not find any significant relationship between anxiety or suicide disorder and any of following variables: marital status, disease duration, amount of lesions, location of lesions, and expansion of lesions. We observed that with increasing duration of illness, expansion of lesions, and level of lesions, depression increased significantly in patients with acne vulgaris. Location of lesions was not associated with depression.Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety and depression is high in patients with acne vulgaris. Acne disease is more significantly correlated with depression.