PREVALENCE OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER AND RELATED FACTORS IN ACNE PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Acne is a common skin disease in clinical dermatology, with chronic inflammatory condition that usually develops on the face, chest, shoulders, and back. Acne usually starts in adolescence and may topersist until adulthood. Acne can severely affect psychological functioning and especially may cause anger, anxiety, and depression among adolescents and young adults

Objectives: To determine the major depressive disorder rate using the DSM-5 criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition) and related factors in acne patients.

Methods: Cross-sectional study on 126 patients diagnosed with acne based on clinical examination at HCMC Hospital of Dermato-Venereology. Patients answered a self-administered questionnaire including questions on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, and mental health according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.

Results: The rate of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria was 11.9%. The average age of the study sample was 21.33 ± 2.63 years old, the lowest was 18 years old and the highest was 31 years old. The proportion of women was higher than men. The average acne severity according to IGA accounted for the highest proportion of 46.8%, the time of acne onset under 6 months accounted for a high proportion of 67.5%, there were almost no symptoms of acne (70.6%). Patients with low self-esteem about appearance due to acne accounted for a high proportion (84.1%). IGA acne severity, acne onset time, acne inflammatory symptoms, and body image were significantly associated with MDD. Independently associated factors with MDD included IGA acne severity and acne inflammatory symptoms.

Conclusions: The prevalence of MDD according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria in acne patients was relatively high and associated to the severity of acne, the duration of acne, and the patient's self-esteem about appearance. Therefore, physicians need to pay attention to this issue during clinical examination, by doing so, the effectiveness of treatments and the overall quality of life for patients can be significantly enhanced.

Keywords: major depressive disorder; acne; related factors