Evaluation of anxiety disorders and the main challenges in adhering to preventive health measures among patients with epidermolysis bullosa during the COVID-19 pandemic
نویسندگان
1 Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
3 Bidar Skin Center, Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Dermatology, Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
6 Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Central Michigan University, College of Medicine, Saginaw, Michigan, USA
doi
10.22034/ijd.2024.481691.1916چکیده
Background: This study was conducted to assess anxiety disorders and observe preventive health principles in patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2021 involving patients with EB residing in the Tehran and Alborz provinces of Iran. Demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed, and the level of anxiety in patients was evaluated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. Statistical significance was established at P < 0.05.Results: A total of 136 participants were included in the study, with 68 (50%) patients with EB in the case group and 68 (50%) in the control group. There were no significant differences in age or sex between the two groups (P > 0.05). The Spence Anxiety Scale score was 24.25 ± 7.79 in the case group and 11.79 ± 5.89 in the control group (P = 0.0001). Separation anxiety was observed in 11 (45.8%) patients with EB and 23 (95.8%) individuals in the control group (P = 0.0001). The Beck Anxiety Inventory score was 13.98 ± 6.16 in the case group and 5.50 ± 5.63 in the control group (P = 0.0001).Conclusion: Patients with EB experienced higher levels of anxiety compared to individuals without this condition during the COVID-19 pandemic. This heightened anxiety can be attributed to the challenges of managing their disease, compounded by the additional stressors associated with the pandemic, which may further complicate their adherence to prevention protocols.
