# Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in Pakistani Patients With Acne Vulgaris

## TL;DR

This study found that Pakistani acne patients, especially women, have higher anxiety levels compared to healthy individuals, though depression levels were similar.

## Contribution

This study provides new insights into the mental health of acne patients in Pakistan, highlighting elevated anxiety levels.

## Key findings

- Anxiety scores were significantly higher in acne patients compared to controls.
- Depression scores did not differ significantly between acne patients and controls.
- Acne severity was not correlated with anxiety or depression scores.

## Abstract

Introduction

Adolescents with acne vulgaris, a prevalent dermatological condition, have a significant prevalence of anxiety and depression, which can have negative effects on their quality of life.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to find out the prevalence of anxiety and depression in Pakistani patients with acne vulgaris.

Methods

This six-month cohort study was conducted at Chaudhry Muhammad Akram Teaching and Research Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, involving 250 acne vulgaris patients (aged 16-40) and 200 age- and sex-matched controls. Exclusion criteria included certain medical and psychological conditions. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and socio-demographic questionnaires were utilized for data collection. The severity of the acne was evaluated with the help of the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS). The final data obtained were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), employing the Kruskal-Wallis test, chi-squared test, and independent t-test.

Results

Among 450 participants, 302 (67.1%) were female, with a majority aged 23-33 years old. A significant difference in marital status was found, with more acne cases being single (174, 69.6%) compared to controls (107, 53.5%; p<0.001). Most acne cases (154, 61.6%) had moderate severity. The mean anxiety HADS score was higher in the case group (17.62±4.85) compared to controls (6.74±4.40; p=0.027), while depression HADS scores did not significantly differ (p=0.643). Acne severity did not significantly correlate with anxiety or depression HADS scores.

Conclusion

Increased anxiety in individuals with acne vulgaris, particularly among females, was seen, while depression levels were similar between cases and controls.