Home / Current Issue / Paper 1722255
The Impact of Dermatoses on The Quality of Life of Young Persons in Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Subject area: Biological & Medical Sciences · Area of research: Dermatology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722255
Abstract
Background: Skin diseases are among the most prevalent health conditions worldwide, often causing more psychosocial morbidity than physical harm. Despite their non-lethal nature, chronic and visible dermatoses can profoundly impair an individual’s quality of life (QoL), particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to dermatologic and psychosocial care is limited. Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of skin diseases on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of affected individuals and their families, and to explore how quality of life assessment tools can be integrated into dermatological care to enhance patient-centered treatment and monitoring. Methods: A mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional was conducted among 384 patients with clinically diagnosed skin diseases attending dermatology outpatient clinics. Data were collected using validated instruments: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Children’s DLQI (CDLQI), and Family DLQI (FDLQI). Socio-demographic and clinical data were also obtained. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyze the data at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Acne vulgaris (26.6%), atopic dermatitis (19.8%), and tinea infections (16.9%) were the most prevalent conditions. The mean DLQI score was 12.8 (±4.6), indicating a substantial impact on QoL, with nearly 60% of participants reporting a very large or extremely large effect. QoL impairment was significantly associated with age (r = 0.231, p = 0.016), gender (p = 0.000), educational status (p = 0.001), and socioeconomic status (p = 0.000). Qualitative feedback from participants highlighted the psychological, social, and economic burden of skin conditions, and supported the integration of QoL tools in clinical care. Conclusion: Skin diseases significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their families, particularly among females, adolescents, and individuals of lower socioeconomic status. The use of standardized QoL assessment tools can enhance holistic, patient-centered dermatological care by informing treatment decisions, identifying at-risk patients, and improving clinical outcomes.
Keywords
Skin Disease, Quality of Life, Dermatology, DLQI, Patient-Centered Care, Socio-Demographic Factors, Psychosocial Burden, Nigeria
References
[1] Mphande, Fingani Annie. "Skin Disorders in Vulnerable Populations." Causes, Impacts and Challenges (2020): 3-15.
[2] Zhu, Zhou, et al. "Global, regional and national burdens of acne vulgaris in adolescents and young adults aged 10–24 years from 1990 to 2021: a trend analysis." British Journal of Dermatology 192.2 (2025): 228-237.
[3] Richard, M. A., Paul, C., Nijsten, T., Gisondi, P., Salavastru, C., Taieb, C., ... & EADV Burden of Skin Diseases Project Team. (2022). Prevalence of most common skin diseases in Europe: a population‐based study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 36(7), 1088-1096.
[4] Usatine, Richard. "Common Skin Conditions in Children and Adolescents." FP Essentials 541 (2024).
[5] Schramme, Thomas. "Health as complete well-being: The WHO definition and beyond." Public Health Ethics 16.3 (2023): 210-218.
[6] Aderoju, Rebecca Taiwo. “We Live in a Spiritual Country”: The Associations Among Health Literacy, Quality of Life, and Religious Spiritual Personal Beliefs Among the Nigerian Population. Diss. The University of Memphis, 2025.
[7] Lakum, Megha. "The Hidden Struggle: Understanding the Psychosocial Impact of Dermatological Diseases." Indian Journal of Postgraduate Dermatology 2.2 (2024): 74-79.
[8] Adekeye, Oluwatosin, et al. "Exploring the well-being of people affected by skin NTDs in Kaduna and Kwara States, Nigeria: a photovoice and scoping review study." International Health 15.Supplement_1 (2023): i100-i109.
[9] Becerik-Gerber, Burcin, et al. "Civil engineering grand challenges: Opportunities for data sensing, information analysis, and knowledge discovery." Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 28.4 (2014): 04014013.
[10] Fournier, Hugo, et al. "Psychosocial implications of rare genetic skin diseases affecting appearance on daily life experiences, emotional state, self-perception and quality of life in adults: a systematic review." Orphanet journal of rare diseases 18.1 (2023): 39.
[11] Newton, Jocelyn H., and Thelma S. Horn. "Self-worth and Measures of Body Image." Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2024. 6292-6298.
[12] Ribera, M., et al. "Consensus statement on the psychological needs of patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases." Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (English Edition) 110.2 (2019): 102-114.
How to cite this paper
@article{1722255,
author = {Chuhwak, Judith Sally, Oripelaye, Mufutau Murphy, Olanrewaju, Fatai Olatunde, Aiyedun, Olawale Stephen, Pam, Salem Dominic; Otache, Adah Emmanuel},
title = {The Impact of Dermatoses on The Quality of Life of Young Persons in Ile-Ife, Nigeria},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {2},
pages = {1190-1201},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722255.pdf},
abstract = {Background: Skin diseases are among the most prevalent health conditions worldwide, often causing more psychosocial morbidity than physical harm. Despite their non-lethal nature, chronic and visible dermatoses can profoundly impair an individual’s quality of life (QoL), particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to dermatologic and psychosocial care is limited.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of skin diseases on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of affected individuals and their families, and to explore how quality of life assessment tools can be integrated into dermatological care to enhance patient-centered treatment and monitoring.
Methods: A mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional was conducted among 384 patients with clinically diagnosed skin diseases attending dermatology outpatient clinics. Data were collected using validated instruments: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Children’s DLQI (CDLQI), and Family DLQI (FDLQI). Socio-demographic and clinical data were also obtained. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyze the data at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: Acne vulgaris (26.6%), atopic dermatitis (19.8%), and tinea infections (16.9%) were the most prevalent conditions. The mean DLQI score was 12.8 (±4.6), indicating a substantial impact on QoL, with nearly 60% of participants reporting a very large or extremely large effect. QoL impairment was significantly associated with age (r = 0.231, p = 0.016), gender (p = 0.000), educational status (p = 0.001), and socioeconomic status (p = 0.000). Qualitative feedback from participants highlighted the psychological, social, and economic burden of skin conditions, and supported the integration of QoL tools in clinical care.
Conclusion: Skin diseases significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their families, particularly among females, adolescents, and individuals of lower socioeconomic status. The use of standardized QoL assessment tools can enhance holistic, patient-centered dermatological care by informing treatment decisions, identifying at-risk patients, and improving clinical outcomes.},
keywords = {Skin Disease, Quality of Life, Dermatology, DLQI, Patient-Centered Care, Socio-Demographic Factors, Psychosocial Burden, Nigeria},
month = {August},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722255}
}