Quality of life, emotional wellbeing and family repercussions in dermatological patients suffering chronic itching

A better understanding of the psychosocial impact of chronic itching could lead to improved intervention stra- tegies. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics of chronic itching in dermatological patients. The Itch Severity Scale (ISS) was completed by a sample of 201 patients from a Dermatology Outpa- tient Clinic in Spain and 61.69% (n = 124) of participants recorded a positive score (mean=8.89, standard devia- tion = 4.06). The results indicate that chronic itching has significant psychosocial repercussions. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) showed that the negative im- pact on quality of life was significantly greater for the group that experienced chronic itching (p < 0.001). Scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) revealed that the group with chronic itching had more symptoms associated with anxiety (p=0.001). No statis- tically significant differences between the groups with regards to repercussions on the family dynamic were found. Key words: quality of life; psychosocial impact; fa- mily repercussions; chronic itching; skin conditions