Introduction: Chronic skin diseases including vitiligo could have profound psychological burden. The factors influencing the expression of depression in patients with vitiligo received little attention both nationally and internationally. Aim: The aim of the current study was to estimate the burden and severity of depression and to characterize their associated sociodemographic and clinical characteristics among patients with vitiligo. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among patients with vitiligo of both genders attending dermatology outpatient clinics at a tertiary care hospital during 2019. Modified Beck Depression Inventory Scale was used for screening for depression. Results: A total 308 patients with vitiligo have been included in the current analysis. The average age was 27±14.5 years. Approximately 59.7% of the patients were males and the majority (63.6%) were single. A total 168 (54.5%) patients had some depressive symptoms. The majority of these patients had mild depression (52.4%), followed by moderate (33.3%) and severe (14.3%) depression. Moderate and/or severe depression were significantly higher among children and adolescents (p=0.036), single patients (p=0.006), those with lower than high school education (p
Key words: Vitiligo, depression, psychology, prevalence, risk factors, Saudi Arabia.
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