TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychologic distress in polymorphous light eruption and its relationship to patients' beliefs about their condition
AU - Richards, Helen L.
AU - Ling, Tsui C.
AU - Evangelou, George
AU - Brooke, Rebecca C.C.
AU - Huber, Katya
AU - Gibbs, Neil K.
AU - Fortune, Donal G.
AU - Rhodes, Lesley E.
PY - 2007/3
Y1 - 2007/3
N2 - Background: Skin disease can cause psychologic difficulties, but information is lacking on the emotional impact of the common photosensitivity condition, polymorphous light eruption (PMLE). Objective: We sought to examine the emotional impact of PMLE, and its relationships with patients' beliefs about their PMLE and health-related variables. Methods: Patients with PMLE who had attended a hospital dermatology department were mailed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised during the summers of 2002 to 2004. Results: Questionnaires were returned by 150 of 302 patients. Emotional distress attributable to PMLE was found in more than 40% of individuals. The emotional impact of PMLE was principally predicted by patients' beliefs about their condition (>50% of the variance), particularly regarding its consequences, whereas health-related variables played a lesser role. Women associated more severe consequences with their PMLE (z = -2.27, P = .02) and were more emotionally distressed (z = -2.17, P = .03) than men. Limitations: Hospital-based patients with PMLE may not be representative of the community. Conclusions: Psychologic factors should receive greater attention in PMLE management.
AB - Background: Skin disease can cause psychologic difficulties, but information is lacking on the emotional impact of the common photosensitivity condition, polymorphous light eruption (PMLE). Objective: We sought to examine the emotional impact of PMLE, and its relationships with patients' beliefs about their PMLE and health-related variables. Methods: Patients with PMLE who had attended a hospital dermatology department were mailed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised during the summers of 2002 to 2004. Results: Questionnaires were returned by 150 of 302 patients. Emotional distress attributable to PMLE was found in more than 40% of individuals. The emotional impact of PMLE was principally predicted by patients' beliefs about their condition (>50% of the variance), particularly regarding its consequences, whereas health-related variables played a lesser role. Women associated more severe consequences with their PMLE (z = -2.27, P = .02) and were more emotionally distressed (z = -2.17, P = .03) than men. Limitations: Hospital-based patients with PMLE may not be representative of the community. Conclusions: Psychologic factors should receive greater attention in PMLE management.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33847060435
U2 - 10.1016/j.jaad.2006.10.035
DO - 10.1016/j.jaad.2006.10.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 17184877
AN - SCOPUS:33847060435
SN - 0190-9622
VL - 56
SP - 426
EP - 431
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
IS - 3
ER -