BackgroundVitiligo may impact psychosocial development, especially among African American pediatric patients, given heightened visibility and increasing rates of anxiety and depression in this subpopulation. ObjectiveEvaluate psychiatric comorbidities and treatment initiation in African American pediatric patients. Methods327 African American pediatric patients with vitiligo were each matched to three patients without vitiligo by age, race, and sex in this case-control study. Prevalence of psychiatric conditions and subsequent initiation of pharmaco- and/or psycho-therapy were analyzed. ResultsCompared to controls, pediatric African American patients with vitiligo were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with depression (p<0.001) disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) (p<0.001), eating disorders (EDs) (p=0.013), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (p<0.001), substance abuse (SA) (p=0.011), and suicidal ideation (SI) (p=0.005). Patients with depression, DBDs, and EDs had higher initiation rates (76.5%, 82.1%, and 100%, respectively) for psychiatric treatment compared to those with GAD and SA (55.3% and 61.5%). Nearly 15% of patients did not initiate treatment for SI. LimitationsThis retrospective study has a limited sample size in a single institution and does not explore psychiatric treatment efficacy. ConclusionsBetter understanding of associated psychological comorbidities and impacts on African American children of vitiligo may improve quality of life and dermatologic outcomes for these individuals.
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