The impact of acne on the self-assessment of the quality of life and the formation of depressive disorders in adolescents
Relevance. The period of awareness by a teenager of his gender identity is accompanied by a high psychological sensitivity to the reaction of others about their appearance. Acne in adolescents causes a high risk of developing anxiety disorders and a decrease in the quality of life. Given the crisis periods accompanying puberty, acne in adolescents may further contribute to the development of negative personality changes. Intention. The goal is to determine the quality of life, the level of depression in adolescents suffering from acne. Methodology. The self-assessment of the quality of life and the level of depression was analyzed in 294 adolescents aged 13-17 years, 149 of them had acne, and 145 were in the control group. To assess the level of manifestations of depression and quality of life, valid generally accepted methods were used: the Pediatric Qualityof Life Inventory questionnaire (PedsQL 4.0), The Pediatric Dermatological Quality of Life Index (DLQI) and The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) questionnaire. Results and Discussion.. According to all scales of the PedsQL 4.0 questionnaire, a decrease in the quality of life was determined in adolescents suffering from acne compared to adolescents in the control group (p < 0.01). The results of the DLQI methodology indicators indicate that in adolescents with acne, the pediatric dermatological quality of life index is statistically significantly lower (p < 0.01) than in the control group. According to the CDI questionnaire, subdepressive states were detected in 11 % of boys and 35 % of girls suffering from acne, in the control group of such persons there were 1 and 7 %, respectively. In addition, 5 % of 15-17-year-old girls have verified a depressive state, which requires close attention from parents, school doctors, psychologists and teachers. Conclusion. Adolescents suffering from acne are characterized by a decrease in the quality of life and a high risk of developing depressive disorders.