Abstract
Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life in acne patients in dermatology clinics in king Khalid university hospital, To correlate between quality of life (QOL) and severity of acne and to correlate between quality of life in acne patients and sociodemographic status.
Methods: We conducted a questionnaire among 135 acne patients. The severity of acne was obtained by using Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) used to assess the effect of acne on the quality of life. Spearman's correlation test used to correlate between CADI and GAGS, Pearson Chi-Square test used to correlate between CADI and sociodemographic.
Results: 61.5% of the sample had mild acne, 29.6% had moderate and 8.8% had severe acne. 46.6% had low degree of impairment in QOL, 36.3% had medium degree and 17% had high degree of QOL impairment. The correlation between CADI and GAGS was not statistically significant, p=0.219. the correlation between CADI and the sociodemographic also was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Acne can affect quality of life negatively in varying degrees. The most common age group affected with acne is the younger age group in KKUH dermatology clinics and most of them have mild to moderate severity of acne.
These findings will help dermatologist and primary care physicians to see how acne can affect QOL, which in it self will help them make considerate decisions about their patients' treatment plans.