Feelings of stigmatization and depressive symptoms in psoriasis patients

Aim. The objective of the study was to show the correlation between the feelings of stigmatization and depressive symptoms in psoriasis patients. The study has considered severity of feelings of stigmatization and depressive symptoms, as well as factors such as gender and skin lesions visibility. Methods. The study involved 54 adult subjects suffering from psoriasis - 26 women and 28 men. The patients filled in the 33-item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory. Moreover, the subjects were asked to mark the location of their psoriatic lesions on a schematic drawing. Results. A correlation was found between feelings of stigmatization and depressive symptoms in the psoriasis patients. No differences between women and men were found with regard to depressive symptoms and feelings of stigmatization (except for the secretiveness aspect). It was found that location of skin lesions did not have an effect on occurrence of depressive symptoms and feelings of stigmatization (except for the shame and guilt aspect). Conclusions. It is still necessary to change the public attitude to patients with psoriasis. It is also very important to provide the patients with psychotherapeutic support aimed at enhancing their self-acceptance in order to overcome any feelings of stigmatization and to prevent them from depression.