Impact of psychosocial profile on alopecia areata in pediatric patients: A case control study from a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Neerja Saraswat, Pooja Shankar, Ajay Chopra, Sushil Kumar, Debdeep Mitra, Reetu Agarwal
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by patchy loss of hair from the scalp and body. It is a complex outcome of factors such as autoimmunity, genetic factors, infectious diseases, as well as psychological factors, such as stress, personality type, familial conditions. Around 20% of patients are in the pediatric age group, and 60% of the patients develop AA before the age of 20 years. AIM: The present study looked into the impact of psychosocial factors in AA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study conducted over a period of 1 year. One hundred and two patients and age and gender-matched control group between the ages of 2 and 14 years were included. A questionnaire was administered to identify the stress arising due to personal or familial conditions, school-related issues, psychotrauma or illness, and accidents prior to developing AA. Age and gender-matched patients with other dermatoses with low psychosomatic component to it and unlikely to be influenced by stress were selected as control. RESULT: < 0.05%), which was stronger among female compared to male. CONCLUSION: The psychological profile and comorbidities have a significant impact on the onset or recidivism of AA. Impact of a stressful personal or family life, parental pressure to perform better in school, and psychological vulnerability can significantly contribute to the onset or exacerbation of AA.