Emotional Disturbances and Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Patients with Acne Vulgaris

Background: A great degree of frustration, embarrassment, anger, stress, anxiety and depression occur among patients with acne due to visible facial disfiguring. The role of demographic features like age, gender, education, occupation, or marital status in the causation of these symptoms remains under study in Albanian patients.
Aims: We assessed the frequency of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among patients with acne in relation to their demographic characteristics for possible identification of higher-risk patients exhibiting these symptoms.
Methods: 382 patients of both genders, aged 18-40 years were studied during January 2012 to December 2013. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used to assess the presence of three emotional states – depression, anxiety and stress in patients with acne vulgaris.
Results: These 382 (F:M 229:153) patients were between the age groups of 18-25 (297 patients) and 26-40 years (85 patients). Symptoms/signs of depression, anxiety and stress were observed in 105 (27%), 227 (60%) and 238 (62%) cases respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the frequency of these symptoms is not attributable to their gender, age, education, occupation and marital status (p> 0.05).
Conclusion: Demographic features like age, gender, education, occupation, or marital status do not seem to influence occurrence of depression, anxiety and stress in Albanian patients with acne. Thus, each patient should be individually assessed and treated for these symptoms irrespective of gender, age, education, marital status or occupation.