فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: Since the condition of the skin affects mental health, skin manifestations such as acne vulgaris might result in some psychosocial distress, including depression, anxiety, and social isolation. This study aimed to investigate feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts in patients with acne vulgaris.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 147 patients with acne vulgaris, who were referred to the skin clinics affiliated with Guilan University of Medical Sciences (Rasht, Iran) in 2020, were requested to complete the UCLA feelings of loneliness and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) questionnaires. The patients’ demographical data and dermatological characteristics were recorded, and all data were analyzed using SPSS 21. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.75 ± 8.65 years, with females accounting for 83%. About 7.5% and 3.4% of patients had feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts, respectively. Being single was significantly associated with increased UCLA and BSSI scores (P < 0.05). Unemployment and using isotretinoin were correlated with higher BSSI scores (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve for predicting active or passive suicidal tendencies, based on the BSSI questionnaire and using the UCLA score, was 0.842, and the cut-off point of the UCLA score was 39.5, with sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 68.6%, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between the two questionnaires (r = 0.407, P < 0.001).Conclusion: A significant association between acne vulgaris and an increased risk of feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts demonstrated that dermatologists should consider the mental health status of these patients.