308941
Assessing depression and anxiety in Romanian psoriasis patients: Where is screening and intervention mostly needed?
Psoriasis is one of the most challenging chronic skin disorders, affecting an individual’s psycho-social functioning and generating emotional distress. However, there is little research focusing on predictors of mental health outcomes in patients with psoriasis, especially in Eastern European countries. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the predictors of mental health outcomes in a sample of Romanian psoriasis patients.
Methods:
Data was collected in 2013, in three dermatology clinics in Romania from a convenient sample of 88 psoriasis patients, using a cross-sectional design. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding socio-demographics, illness representation and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Data was analyzed using Pearson correlations and multiple regressions, testing socio-demographics and dimensions of illness representations as predictors of mental health outcomes.
Results:
The study population was 63.6% male, mean age of 52.83. Almost three quarters of the sample (72.7%) reported scores of anxiety and depression that would require further referral to mental health services. Higher scores of depression and anxiety correlated with female gender (r=.281, p<.001), education level below high-school (r=-.234, p<.005) and living in a rural area(r-.234, p<.005). The strongest predictor for symptoms of anxiety and depression was the emotional representation of the illness (OR=1.37, C.I=95%).
Conclusion:
Psoriasis patients from rural communities, especially females and lower educated individuals, who associate psoriasis with sadness, fear and worrying, are at higher risk for anxiety and depression. These results can guide development of screening practices and interventions tailored to vulnerable groups.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionPlanning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Name three correlates of depression and anxiety in patients with psoriasis.
Name one predictor of depression and anxiety in patients with psoriasis.
Explain the need for anxiety and depression screening in patients with psoriasis
Keyword(s): Depression, Chronic Disease Management and Care
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As part of the research team on the project(with a major role in data collection and analysis) and as a master student in Clinical Psychology, highly interested in mental health outcomes for patients with chronic disorders, I am qualified to be an abstract author for the proposed content.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.