TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of childhood vitiligo on adult life
AU - Linthorst Homan, M. W.
AU - De Korte, J.
AU - Grootenhuis, M. A.
AU - Bos, J. D.
AU - Sprangers, M. A.G.
AU - Van Der Veen, J. P.W.
PY - 2008/10
Y1 - 2008/10
N2 - Background: The onset of vitiligo occurs before the age of 20 years in 50% of patients. Having a chronic disease in childhood can impede a child's health-related quality of life (HRQL). Objectives: Firstly, to compare the social and psychosexual development and current HRQL of young adult patients with childhood vitiligo with those of a group of healthy controls. Secondly, to compare these outcomes in patients reporting negative childhood experiences with those of patients not reporting negative childhood experiences. Methods: Eligible patients were mailed questionnaires on (i) sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, (ii) social and psychosexual development, (iii) generic and dermatology-specific HRQL, (iv) presence of negative childhood experiences related to vitiligo, (v) specification of these negative experiences and (vi) patients' recommendations for further care. Results: A total of 232 patients with vitiligo completed the questionnaires. Social and psychosexual development and generic HRQL in young adult patients with childhood vitiligo were not different from those of healthy controls. However, patients reporting negative childhood experiences reported significantly more problems in social development than those not reporting negative experiences. Furthermore, negative childhood experiences were significantly associated with more HRQL impairment in early adulthood. Conclusions: Reporting negative experiences from childhood vitiligo appears to be associated with HRQL impairment in young adults with vitiligo.
AB - Background: The onset of vitiligo occurs before the age of 20 years in 50% of patients. Having a chronic disease in childhood can impede a child's health-related quality of life (HRQL). Objectives: Firstly, to compare the social and psychosexual development and current HRQL of young adult patients with childhood vitiligo with those of a group of healthy controls. Secondly, to compare these outcomes in patients reporting negative childhood experiences with those of patients not reporting negative childhood experiences. Methods: Eligible patients were mailed questionnaires on (i) sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, (ii) social and psychosexual development, (iii) generic and dermatology-specific HRQL, (iv) presence of negative childhood experiences related to vitiligo, (v) specification of these negative experiences and (vi) patients' recommendations for further care. Results: A total of 232 patients with vitiligo completed the questionnaires. Social and psychosexual development and generic HRQL in young adult patients with childhood vitiligo were not different from those of healthy controls. However, patients reporting negative childhood experiences reported significantly more problems in social development than those not reporting negative experiences. Furthermore, negative childhood experiences were significantly associated with more HRQL impairment in early adulthood. Conclusions: Reporting negative experiences from childhood vitiligo appears to be associated with HRQL impairment in young adults with vitiligo.
KW - Childhood
KW - Negative experiences
KW - Quality of life
KW - Vitiligo
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=51849157839&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08788.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08788.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18717679
AN - SCOPUS:51849157839
SN - 0007-0963
VL - 159
SP - 915
EP - 920
JO - British Journal of Dermatology
JF - British Journal of Dermatology
IS - 4
ER -