A prospective study of the psychological impact on patients with a first episode of genital herpes.
نویسندگان
چکیده
OBJECTIVES To assess the psychological impact of first episode of genital herpes, and to determine whether this changes over time. SETTING AND SUBJECTS The Departments of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM), and Dermatology, Middlesex Hospital London. The study group consisted of patients attending the department of GUM with a clinically proven first episode of genital herpes. Two control groups were recruited; firstly patients without herpes attending the GUM Department and secondly patients attending the Dermatology Department out patients with chronic dermatoses. METHODS Patients and controls completed an 87 item, self-administered psychological questionnaire at 3 monthly intervals for a year. The questionnaire consisted of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (HADQ); Illness Attitude Scales and Illness Concern. Patients were also asked questions about their sexual behaviour. RESULTS Ninety one patients (68 women, 23 men) with genital herpes, 61 GUM controls (42 women, 19 men) and 56 dermatology controls (36 women, 20 men) participated. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between patients and controls. At first visit the proportion of patients classified as "cases" by the GHQ (GHQ cases) were similar for primary herpes patients 62% (56/91) and Dermatology controls 52% (29/56) while a significantly smaller proportion of GUM controls 34% (21/61) were classified as GHQ cases. The primary herpes group were significantly more concerned about their illness than either the GUM controls or the Dermatology controls (p < 0.002). The proportion of primary herpes patients classified as "cases" by the GHQ reduced significantly over the initial three month period with 67% of patients classified as "cases" at their first visit becoming "noncases" after three months (p < 0.0001). Also 50% of those classified as "cases" at first visit by the HADQ become "noncases" after the initial three months (p = 0.007). The illness concern scores also decreased significantly from visit one to visit two (means 14.7 vs. 12.3; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The diagnosis of a first episode of genital herpes has a profound emotional effect on patients. If they do not have recurrent episodes, their emotional state improves. For those who do have recurrences, the level of anxiety and concern remains as high as at the time of their first diagnosis. Clinicians must be sensitive to the emotional impact such a diagnosis may bring.
منابع مشابه
Aborted genital herpes simplex virus lesions: findings from a randomised controlled trial with valaciclovir.
OBJECTIVES In prospective trials, episodic valaciclovir significantly increased the chance of preventing or aborting the development of painful vesicular genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) lesions compared with placebo. We explored the clinical outcome of aborted lesions and its association with early treatment in a study designed to compare 3 and 5 days' treatment with valaciclovir. METHODS ...
متن کاملبررسی ویژگیهای دموگرافیک، بیماری و درمان در بیماران
Background and Aim: In recent years, a number of studies have been done on patients with first-episode of psychosis. The importance of this issue is to improve outcome of the psychosis. Due to lack of similar research in Iran and differences in culture as well as in treatment program, investigation of demographic characteristics and treatment of patients with first-episode of psychosis could be...
متن کاملThe Changing Epidemiology of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection: The Associated Effects on the Incidence of Ocular Herpes
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) with a worldwide distribution has been reported in all human populations, resulting in a clinical spectrum of infections. Although HSV type 2 (HSV-2) is known as the most common cause of genital herpes, an increasing number of cases with genital herpes are caused by HSV-1. The present study aimed to discuss the changes in the epidemiology of HSV-1 infection i...
متن کاملTreatment of recurrent genital Herpes with Imiquimod: A case report
In this report, a 32 year-old patient is reported who was suffering from recurrent genital herpes for 3 years and her disease could not be controlled with conventional treatment methods. But, application of Imiquimod 5% cream, 3 times a week for 3 months, proved very effective with no recurrence for up to 7 months. Since recurrent genital herpes is the result of some immunologic dysfunctions ca...
متن کاملIs HSV serology useful for the management of first episode genital herpes?
BACKGROUND First episode genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections can be classified into three groups, primary genital herpes (no previous exposure to HSV), non-primary first episode (IgG antibody to HSV of the non-presenting type), and first episode with pre-existing IgG HSV antibodies. The use of IgM to classify first episode genital herpes has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE To evaluate...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید
ثبت ناماگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید
ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Genitourinary medicine
دوره 70 1 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 1994