The quality of life and its related factors in patients with psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic disease that may affect patients’ quality of life. We investigated the quality of life (QoL) and its related factors in psoriasis patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 123 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were enrolled, who were at the age of 18-55 years. The QoL was assessed by the psoriasis disability index (PDI) questionnaire. The stress associated with psoriasis was evaluated by the psoriasis life stress inventory (PLSI) questionnaire. The severity of the disease (SoD) was measured based on the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. Results: In this study, the mean age of the patients was 40.77 ± 0.73 years, and the mean duration of the disease was 8.7 ± 8.23 years. The average PASI score was 11.06, and the average PDI score was 11.98. The average PDI and PASI scores of smoker patients were significantly more than those of non-smokers (P = 0.017). There was a strong relationship between all parts of QoL and PLSI scores, as well as between PASI and PLSI (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Psoriasis reduced our patients’ quality of life. Thus, it is recommended that the QoL in psoriatic patients be evaluated. Stress management and psychological supporting methods are necessary for these patients.