Background: Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition associated with negative social and psychological impacts on the patient's quality of life (QoL). The objective of this study was to evaluate the QoL in patients with acne vulgaris in Qassim region using the Arabic version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional internet-based questionnaire study. A total of 355 participants, aged 16 years and older and living in Qassim region were included in the study. The QoL was assessed using the Arabic version of DLQI questionnaire, which consisted of 10 questions about multiple domains.
Results: In this study, 71.3% of participants reported physical symptoms due to acne, 84.3% expressed feeling embarrassed or self-conscious and 53% reported social life impairment because of acne. The mean DLQI score was 7.27, which indicated a significant impairment in the quality of life. DLQI scores showed a mild effect on patient's life in 34.2%, moderate effect in 27.7%, and large effect in 21.5%. There was no statistically significant correlation between the demographic factors (age, gender, marital status, and treatment type) and the ten domains of DLQI questionnaire.
Conclusions: This study showed that acne has a negative impact on the QoL. Acne vulgaris should be considered as more than just a cosmetic problem and QoL issues in patients with acne vulgaris should be addressed.
Key words: Acne Vulgaris, Quality of Life, QoL, Dermatology Life Quality Index, DLQI
|
