Comparison of the psychosocial impact of acne in adolescents and adults; body satisfaction, self-esteem, and quality of life.

Abstract

Dermatological diseases, including acne vulgaris, have significant psychosocial effects on patients. To compare body satisfaction, self-esteem, and quality of life (QoL) in adolescents and adults with acne. A total of 192 acne patients (132 female, 60 male; aged 19.42±3.50years) were included in the study. Global Acne Grading System, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Turkish Acne Quality of Life Index (TAQoLI), and Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) were used. The patients were divided into two groups: under 20years old (adolescents) and 20years and above (adults). The mean RSES score was found as 19.49±5.11, the mean BCS score was 143.95±20.92 and the mean TAQoLI score was 23.44±10.02. There was no difference between adolescents and adults in terms of the mean value of the RSES score, TAQoLI score, and BCS score (p>0.05). But, the proportion of those whose RSES score is below 15 is higher in patients under 20years of age (28%) than patients aged 20 and over (14%) (p<0.05). Linear regression analysis revealed that the most important determinant of body satisfaction was self-esteem (β=0.287, p<0.05), the most important determinants of self-esteem were body satisfaction (β=0.208, p<0.05), QoL (β=-0.398, p<0.001), and education level (β=0.245, p=0.007) and, one of the most important determinant of QoL was self-esteem (β=-0.403, p<0.001). This study demonstrates that acne vulgaris negatively affects an individual's body satisfaction, self-esteem, and QoL. The psychosocial burden of acne is as significant for adults as for adolescents. Body satisfaction, self-esteem, and QoL are in interaction with each other.