The Rate of Social Acceptance in Psoriasis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran

Reza Bidaki; Narges Ghanei; Mina Hajmohamadkarimi; Marzieh Poursamimi; Bonnie Bozorg; Niloofar Kolahi; Mina Bozorg

doi:10.18502/jimc.v6i3.12852

Reza Bidaki Department of Psychiatry, Research Center of Addiction and Behavioral Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Narges Ghanei Department of Dermatology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mina Hajmohamadkarimi Ali ebene Abitaleb, School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
Marzieh Poursamimi Department of Psychology, Azad University of Sirjan, Sirjan, Iran
Bonnie Bozorg Department of Student Mental Health & Counseling Services, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Niloofar Kolahi Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mina Bozorg Department of Clinical Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v6i3.12852

Keywords: Psoriasis, Social acceptance, Mental disorders, Life quality, Inflammatory disease

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is recognized as a chronic immune system disease with unknown etiology that affects the skin. It might lead to psychological issues and pose considerable distress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of social acceptance in psoriasis patients.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which was carried out on all the patients (n=100) referred to specialized skin diseases clinic in Yazd, Iran. 100 psoriasis patients and 100 healthy people as a control group were enlisted. The patients were eliminated from the research in case they had other chronic medical conditions since it could affect social acceptance. The patients completed a social acceptability questionnaire (Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale) and demographic information was also collected. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and chi square test in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS-24 software.

Results: The mean of patients’ age was 36.97±13.94 years old and 66% of the patients were female. Mean score of social acceptance was 18.04±4.4. The mean score of social acceptance in psoriasis patients’ group (>40 years old) was estimated higher than in other groups (p>0.05). The results revealed that only the job variable affected the Mean±SD of social acceptance in these patients. The rate of social acceptance in psoriasis patients was higher in those with governmental jobs in comparison to those with self-employment jobs. Overall, the level of social acceptance in people with psoriasis was lower than in the control group.

Conclusion: This study showed that psoriasis patients who had governmental jobs received a great deal of acceptance via the people around them and they generally had a better quality of life.