Abstract
Aim: The present study aims to understand the pattern of skin diseases and their impact on female patient quality of life, as well as the Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Material and Methods: A pre-validated cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey (English and Arabic language) was adopted all over Saudi Arabia. The study contains 32 questions, which were divided into three parts as patient demography, characteristics of skin problems, and DLQI questions. Data was collected by online and offline tools and analyzed by MS-excel.
Results: Among the 410 participants, the major skin problem was acne vagaries (36.8%), followed by dry skin (24.4%), eczema (12.7%), and pigmentation (11%). Most of the patients (42.4%) first consulted the pharmacist and only 5.9% to the nurses. Over 83.2% have represented the localized lesions, especially on the neck and face (44.4%). Psoriasis and vitiligo have shown low-frequency but high DLQI scores (27.4 and 24.1, respectively) in contrast to high-frequency dry skin and acne (13.3 and 16.2, respectively). A total of 296 patients between 21-30 years of age showed a very large effect on patient life (score-11 to 20).
Discussion: Dermatological complications have a significant negative impact on patient quality of life. Patients with psoriasis and vitiligo suffer more than any other skin problems due to the untreatable nature of the diseases and a sense of embarrassment. To address this issue, a psychotherapist should be considered as an integral part of the treatment to counsel and boost patient self-confidence and morale.