Adjustment Disorders among Patients with Atopic Dermatitis (1st report): Psychiatric Observation

Abstract

In this study, dermatologists and psychiatrists investigated psychiatric disturbances in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Patients were classified into four groups by their psychiatric diagnoses; “psychological factors affecting medical conditions”, “adjustment disorders”, “other psychiatric diagnoses”, and “no diagnosis”. The prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses was higher in new patients than in patients who first visited the clinic before the beginning of the study. “adjustment disorders” were observed more in the new patients and with severe dermatitis patients. Every psychiatric symptoms as anxiety and depression were recognized in the patients with adjustment disorders. These symptoms seemed to influence the treatment of dermatitis. Those who had a history of “adjustment disorders” comprised 48.1% of those patients who visited before the beginning of the study. The prevalence of adjustment disorders was so high that the importance of adjustment disorders should be recognized by dermatologists.