Efficacy of psychological intervention for patients with psoriasis vulgaris: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

The study aim was to examine the effect of a psychological intervention on patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODS

Participants in this prospective study were 205 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, 104 who received a psychological intervention (study group) and 101 who received routine nursing care (control group). An additional 291 healthy subjects formed a non-psoriasis group. The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Generic Quality of Life Inventory (GQOLI), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used to evaluate psychological status and quality of life.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in SCL-90 and GQOLI scores between the study and non-psoriasis groups. After treatment, the study group showed significantly improved scores on the SCL-90 and GQOLI compared with the control group. Scores on the SDS (mean ± standard deviation: 31.99 ± 4.54 vs. 44.08 ± 4.52) and SAS (28.36 ± 4.52 vs. 40.14 ± 6.33) were improved in the study group. In addition, patients in the study group showed higher satisfaction rate and compliance rate than those in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Psychological intervention may be beneficial for improving quality of life and the therapeutic efficacy of drugs in patients with psoriasis.