The relationship between disease severity, disability and psychological distress in patients undergoing PUVA treatment for psoriasis.

Background: Patients suffering from severe psoriasis report high levels of personal distress and disability as a result of their disease.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between disease severity, personal distress and disability.

Methods: Twenty-two patients provided a self-rating of disease severity and completed the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A dermatologist provided a clinical assessment from the case notes.

Results: Although the clinical assessment was not related to patient ratings, patient-rated severity scores, GHQ and PDI were correlated with each other. GHQ could only be predicted by disease severity when it was mediated by PDI scores.

Conclusions: These results indicated that psoriasis affects psychological distress through its effects on the patients' everyday lives.