The Effects Of Illness Perception On The Quality Of Life And Psychological Distress Of Patients With Androgenetic Alopecia And Alopecia Areata In China

Backgrounds and ObjectivesHair loss has been well documented to have a negative impact on quality of life(Qo L),self-confidence,and self-esteem,and psychiatric disorders are common in individuals with alopecia.Androgenetic alopecia(AGA)and alopecia areata(AA)are the two most common hair loss disorders encountered by dermatologists.Although these disorde rs are highly prevalent,their etiologies are still largely unknown.In addition the current treatments have limited efficacy and several adverse effects.According to the self-regulatory theory,the overall patient experience of a disease has a direct impact on behavior,treatment adherence,and disease outcome.Research has provided ample evidence for this assertion in a variety of diseases.Therefore,assessment of illness perception is warranted in the current routine clinical practice.The aim of the present study was to provide more information on the role of illness perception in AGA and AA patients in China,and to further investigate the relationship of illness perception with psychological disorders and dermatological Qo L.Methods and results1.Questionnaires were done in 212 cases of androgenetic alopecia and 130 cases of alopecia areata with BIPQ,the total BIPQ scores and the scores for timeline,personal control,treatment control,and identity were higher in the AGA group than in the AA group.2.The mean DLQI scores were 8.30 ± 5.04 and 7.21 ± 5.65 in the AGA and AA groups.Qo L was significantly low in the AGA group compared to the AA group,and there were differences in symptoms and feelings,daily activities,and leisure scores between both groups.The psychological status was evaluated with the SAS and SDS,the prevalence of clinical depression and anxiety were higher compared to the AA patients.3.Using Pearson's correlation coefficients,the total BIPQ score,and the emotional representation,concern,consequences,and identity scores were found to be positively correlated,whereas the personal control and illness coherence scores were negatively correlated with the DLQI scores in both groups.Moreover,the emotional representation and identity scores were associated with the SDS and SAS scores in both groups.In the AGA group,stepwise logistic regression analysis of the DLQI scores revealed that gender,the illness perception consequence and emotional representation scores were independent predictors of the final model,while the illness perception consequence,identity,and emotional representation scores were independent predictors of the final model of the AA group.Conclusion1.AGA patients tend to have a high potential of having negative implications of the disorder compared to the AA group.2.AGA and AA have a moderate impact on Qo L.Qo L were worse and the prevalence of clinical depression and anxiety were higher in AGA patients than in AA patients.3.The AGA and AA patients' excessive perceptions of their disorder have significant implications on their self-adjustment,make their life quality lower,form heavier psychological distress and construct further impact against their recovery.