The Impact of Disease-Related Fear and Internalized Stigma on Quality of Life in Patients with Scabies: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

Scabies is a contagious dermatological infestation that can cause not only physical symptoms but also considerable psychosocial burden. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between fear of scabies, internalized stigma, and dermatology-related quality of life in patients with scabies.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 131 patients diagnosed with scabies in a dermatology outpatient clinic. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Fear of Scabies Scale (FSS), the Internalized Stigma Scale (ISS), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between fear of scabies, internalized stigma, and quality of life.

RESULTS

The mean DLQI score was 15.82 ± 5.69, indicating a considerable impairment in dermatology-related quality of life. Fear of scabies showed a weak but significant positive correlation with DLQI scores (r = 0.326, p < 0.001), whereas internalized stigma demonstrated a stronger correlation (r = 0.484, p < 0.001). Among the stigma subdimensions, social withdrawal showed the strongest association with impaired quality of life (r = 0.622, p < 0.001). Regression analyses revealed that internalized stigma explained 23% of the variance in DLQI scores (R2 = 0.234), while fear of scabies explained 10% (R2 = 0.106). In addition, longer symptom duration (β = 0.708, p < 0.001), nocturnal pruritus (β = 0.408, p = 0.009), and visible skin lesions (β = 0.263, p = 0.002) were associated with higher levels of fear of scabies.

CONCLUSIONS

Internalized stigma and disease-related fear were associated with reduced quality of life, with stigma-related mechanisms appearing to play a particularly prominent role. These findings suggest that addressing stigma and providing psychosocial support may be important components of comprehensive scabies management.