Background: Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized by the appearance of white patches on the skin due to loss of the pigmentation. Vitiligo might psychologically impact individuals, resulting in prolonged distress and further psychiatric disorders. Thereby, this study aimed to disclose whether these patients were at a higher risk of developing psychological disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, and anxiety.
Methodology: This was a case control study, conducted in National Guard Health Affairs, through a consecutive technique method and used self-administered questionnaires, which were GAD-7 for GAD, patient health questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) for depression, and the Penn state worry questionnaire (PSWQ) for anxiety.
Result: A total of 150 individuals were recruited, among which 75 were vitiligo patients (test) including 35 males and 40 females, and 75 individuals had normally pigmented skin (controls), including 45 male and 30 female controls. Results showed no significance in GAD-7, PHQ-9, and PSWQ.
Conclusion: This study showed no statistically significant difference between vitiligo patients and controls in GAD and depression. However, vitiligo patients tend to have more anxiety than controls.
Key words: Dermatology, vitiligo, psychiatry, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, anxiety
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