Assesment of body image, quality of life and sexual functions of vitiligo patients and comparison with the control group

The aim of this study is; examination of patients with vitiligo disease in terms of body image, quality of life, sexual functions, anxiety and depression levels to comparison of the findings with the healthy control group. 52 patients and 51 controls, who were aged between 18 and 65, willing to participate in the study, had no psychiatric illnesses or visual/hearing, lettered, sexually active, enrolled in this study. The patient group consists of patients diagnosed as vitiligo disease who consult Uludağ University Medical Faculty Mental Diseases Policlinic and/or being followed-up by Uludağ University Medical Faculty Dermatology Policlinic. Participants were evaluated cross section once. All participants had an psychiatric examination before being assesed on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Body Image Scale (BIS), Vitiligo Quality of Life Scale (VitiQol), Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASES), Golombok‐Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRIOSS) and Sociodemographic Data Form. In our study, statistically significant disturbance in body image (p:0.030), and also statistically significant disturbance in sexual functioning (p:0.019) was stated by GRIOSS, in the patient group compared to the control group. However difference stated by ASES was not statistically significant. Anxiety and depression levels of patient group was stated significantly higher than the control group. In conclusion, psychiatric symptoms should not be ignored by clinicians in vitiligo patients. Vitiligo is a chronic and stigmatizing disease with cosmetic problems so consulting patients to Psychiatry Department if necessary; may contribute to the patient's treatment compliance and quality of life. Keywords: Vitiligo, Sexuality, Quality of life, Depression, Anxiety