Age and gender differences in the impact of psoriasis on quality of life.

Background: The impact of psoriasis upon the quality of life contributes significantly to the overall morbidity associated with the disease. An older age at onset of psoriasis and being a man have been associated previously with lower psychosocial morbidity. In order to further evaluate these potentially important mitigating factors, we examined the relation of age and gender on some aspects of psoriasis-related psychosocial morbidity.

Methods: Two hundred and fifteen consenting psoriasis patients, representing a wide range of disease severity, were studied. They included 110 men and 105 women, age range 19-87 years (age: mean +/- SD: 48.0 +/- 15.9 years); all endorsed a list of 30 items (by checking a "Yes" or "No") pertaining to life events related to psoriasis that they had experienced in the previous one month. The patients self-rated the severity of their psoriasis. The patients were categorized into four age groups of 18-29 years (N = 28), 30-45 years (N = 77), 46-65 years (N = 76), and > 65 years (N = 34), respectively, for the statistical analyses.

Results: No age or gender differences in the severity of psoriasis were observed. Patients of both sexes in the 18 to 29 and 30 to 45 year age groups reported more frequent (P < or = 0.05) problems related to both appearance/socialization and occupation/finances, in contrast to patients in the 46-65 and over-65-year age groups. No gender differences (P < or = 0.05) were observed in the frequency of items related to appearance and socialization; however, men reported greater work-related stresses.

Conclusion: Psoriasis has a greater impact upon the quality of life of patients in the 18 to 45 year age range and affects the socialization of both sexes equally. Men face greater work-related stresses as a result of their psoriasis.