Psychological Morbidity in Young Adults with Acne Vulgaris: A Hospital-based Study

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a disorder of pilo-sebaceous glands characterised by polymorphic lesions. Acne is highly prevalent among teenagers during which period body undergoes various developmental, hormonal and social changes. Acne may therefore affect the psyche of the patient leading to psychological morbidity.

Aim: To study the prevalence and gender-based variations of psychological morbidity in young adults with acne vulgaris.

Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based observational cross-sectional study done in the Dermatology Outpatient Department, SMS Medical College and Attached Hospitals, Jaipur, India, from October 2012 to October 2013 on 660 acne patients. Patients aged 13-24 years clinically diagnosed with acne vulgaris were enrolled for the study and psychological morbidity was assessed by Goldberg’s Health Questionnaire-12 scores (GHQ) and depression and anxiety were assessed using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAMA) scores, respectively.

Results: Among 660 acne patients, 71.51% were males and 28.48% were females. Female patients had mean±Standard Deviation (SD) age of 18.06±2.93 years and male patients had mean±SD age of 18.16±2.41 years. Among 188 females, mild, moderate and severe acne were observed in 40.96%, 48.40% and 10.64% cases, whereas, among 472 males, 37.92%, 38.35% and 23.73% had mild, moderate and severe acne, respectively. Psychological morbidity was observed in 92 (48.94%) females and 227 (46.09%) male patients. In the study population, 5.32%, 28.19%, 13.83%, 1.60% patients had minimal, mild, moderate and severe depression, respectively in female group whereas in the male group 21.19%, 16.10%, 7.84% and 2.97% patients had minimal, mild, moderate and severe depression, respectively. Further, 27.66%, 10.64%, 3.72%, 6.91% of female patients whereas 30.51%, 8.26%, 3.81%, 5.51% of male patients had mild, moderate, severe and very severe anxiety level, respectively.

Conclusion: The study assessed that acne affected self-esteem and confidence of the youth and can lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. The severity of depression and anxiety was linked with gender in the present study.