Quality of life in Alopecia Areata patients

Introduction: Alopecia Areata is a chronic recurrent nonscarring skin disease characterized by sudden Asymptomatic localized hairless. Alopecia Areata can cause emotional and psychosocial distress in affected individuals. Personal appearance due to patchy hairloss may affect patients social relationship and change in quality of life. This study is designed to investigate the effect of Aleopecia Areata on quality of life in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 50 patients of confirmed Alopecia Areata disease referred to Shahid Mohammadi hospital dermatology clinic and 50 age, sex and education matched individuals were selected as cases and controls. Demographic characteristics were collected and severity of disease measured by Oslen/Corfield method. Quality of life was evaluated by WHOQOL/BREF questionnaire. Data were analysed by SPSS software using descriptive methods as well as Chi-Square and t tests. Results: The results showed a significant difference in mental health and social relations in cases compare to control group (P<0.05), but there was not a significant difference in other quality of life aspects. Quality of life mean in mental health and social relations aspects in male cases were significantly less than that in control group, while in none of the quality of life aspects there was a significant different in female cases and controls. Conclusion: This study reveals that although the disease with any severity and in each age can affect quality of life, the severity of its effect in males is higher than that in females.