Significant Amount of Patients With Psoriasis Experience Depression, Anxiety

In a newly published research letter, researchers are emphasizing the mental health burden faced by patients with psoriasis.

Examining data from a large center seeing patients from London and southeast England, the researchers found that among nearly 300 patients, screenings for depression and anxiety were positive during 30% and 25% of visits, respectively, between 2017 and 2020. Their findings were published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

“Our findings emphasize the importance of holistic care and managing the individual’s mental health alongside their psoriasis to improve overall quality of life,” wrote the researchers of their findings, which add to a growing amount of literature documenting the impact of psoriasis on mental health.

Across the United Kingdom and the globe at large, it’s believed that over 100 million people have psoriasis. Earlier this year, a worldwide look at the prevalence of mental health comorbidities in people with psoriasis showed that 1 in 5 people with the condition have depression, and a similar rate have anxiety.

Current guidelines from the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care excellence (NICE) recommend screening for mental health comorbidities when assessing psoriasis severity and impact.

In the current cross-sectional study, depression (35%) and anxiety (29%) were both reported in approximately one-third of the 285 patients who provided data during at least 1 visit. Depression was measured by responses to questions on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and anxiety was measured by Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale scores; a score of more than 5 on GAD-7 was used to indicate anxiety. Severe depression symptoms, defined in the study as PHQ-9 scores of 20 or higher, were reported by 22% of patients, and severe anxiety symptoms, defined as GAD-7 scores of 15 or higher, were reported by 23% of patients.

Overall, the majority (89%) of patients reported experiencing compromised quality of life due to their psoriasis. Patients had Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores of over 2 in 3 out of 4 (78%) visits, with median DLQI scores coming in at 8. DLQI scores were moderately associated with PHQ-9 scores and were weakly correlated with GAD-7 scores.

“Engagement in screening for mental illness rose gradually over time with substantial month-to-month variation.” explained the researchers.

“We also demonstrated a strong relationship between mental health and quality of life. Our findings emphasize the importance of holistic care and managing the individual’s mental health alongside their psoriasis to improve overall quality of life.”

Reference

Bechman K, Hayes J, Mathewman J, et al. Electronic screening for mental illness in patients with psoriasis. Br J Dermatol. 2023;189(2):246-248. doi:10.1093/bjd/ljad141