Prevalence and correlates of Depression and Suicidal ideation in patients of Psoriasis and Acne vulgaris

Background: Psychiatric comorbidity and its effect have been increasingly recognized in various dermatological conditions. Multiple factors of dermatological and psychiatric illnesses interact dynamically influencing each other. We studied the prevalence and correlates of Depression and suicidal ideation in patients suffering from Psoriasis and Acne vulgaris. Materials and methods: Seventy one outpatients diagnosed with Psoriasis and Acne vulgaris were cross-sectionally studied for the prevalence and distribution of Depression and suicidal ideation. Correlation between the severity of Depression and the severity of dermatological illness was analyzed. Further, analysis of factors associated with Depression was done by regression analysis. Results: Prevalence of moderate and severe Depression was 29.6% in the study population. Prevalence of suicidal ideation in the study population was 15.5%. The number of patients with moderate and severe depression was significantly higher (X2 = 19.588; p value < 0.001) in the Psoriasis group compared to Acne vulgaris. Severity of dermatological illness correlated better with the severity of Depression in patients of Psoriasis (r = 0.66, p value < 0.001) as compared to Acne vulgaris (r = 0.46, p value < 0.001). Diagnosis of Psoriasis was associated with the occurrence of Depression in regression analysis. Conclusion: The high prevalence of depression in the study population emphasizes the importance of incorporating routine psychological screening in the evaluation of dermatological illnesses. Identification of factors associated with depression can help us to identify the high risk groups and provide appropriate management in improving their quality of life.