ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PSORIATIC PATIENTS: A HOSPITAL BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN SOUTH INDIA

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder and is well known to be associated with physical, psychological, socialand environmental morbidity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 psoriatic patients and theirQuality of Life (QoL) was assessed by using WHOQOL-BREF, (Tamil version). Of the 130 patients 54.6%were females. The mean age of the psoriatic patients was 40 years. The maximum numbers of patientswere affected by palmoplantar psoriasis (55%), followed by other areas of distribution. In this study only47.7% rated their QoL as “good” and 48.5% responded that, they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied withtheir health. The mean and standard deviation of the QoL scores of the patients was 12.7(1.8) for thephysical domain as 11.9 (2.2) for the psychological domain,12.8 (3.1) for the social domain and 12.4 (2.5)for the environmental domain. Statistically significant association was found between QoL in the fourdomains with age, education and psoriasis involving face or scalp. The mean QOL Scores of all the domainswere low when compared to other studies13,14. Further testing is required, especially in India to adopt amultidimensional approach towards assessment and treatment of psoriasis.