BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of acne is comparable to that experienced by patients with severe diseases; however, most of the people does not consider acne as a true disease. We evaluated beliefs, sources of information and knowledge about acne in Italian adolescents and their mothers. METHODS: This survey was carried out in 2.327 acne patients and their mothers (=4.654 subjects) by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on ten questions: seven questions for the patients and three questions for their mothers. RESULTS: All the 2.327 patients and their mothers completed the survey. Approximately 75% of patients declared that acne has a negative influence on their self-esteem and relationships; furthermore, 87% of patients stated that acne limits their social life. Finally, 65% of patients declared that they are under treatment, but only in 20% of cases the treatment was prescribed by a dermatologist. The mothers considered pollution, wrong diet and hyperseborrhoea as the most important aetiological factors. They considered the treatment suggested by a cosmetologist and contraceptive pill as the best one; only 8% of mothers reported that they regularly took their children to the dermatologist. CONCLUSIONS: In order to improve the treatment and the quality of life in acne patients, there is a need to improve awareness about this disease and its causes and to highlight the role and importance of dermatologists.

What Italians think about acne: results of a survey on 2.327 patients and 2.327 mothers / S. Tavecchio, M. Barbareschi, S. Veraldi. - In: GIORNALE ITALIANO DI DERMATOLOGIA E VENEREOLOGIA. - ISSN 1827-1820. - (2019 Jan 08). [Epub ahead of print] [10.23736/S0392-0488.18.05920-5]

What Italians think about acne: results of a survey on 2.327 patients and 2.327 mothers

S. Tavecchio
Primo
;
M. Barbareschi
Secondo
;
S. Veraldi
Ultimo
2019

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of acne is comparable to that experienced by patients with severe diseases; however, most of the people does not consider acne as a true disease. We evaluated beliefs, sources of information and knowledge about acne in Italian adolescents and their mothers. METHODS: This survey was carried out in 2.327 acne patients and their mothers (=4.654 subjects) by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on ten questions: seven questions for the patients and three questions for their mothers. RESULTS: All the 2.327 patients and their mothers completed the survey. Approximately 75% of patients declared that acne has a negative influence on their self-esteem and relationships; furthermore, 87% of patients stated that acne limits their social life. Finally, 65% of patients declared that they are under treatment, but only in 20% of cases the treatment was prescribed by a dermatologist. The mothers considered pollution, wrong diet and hyperseborrhoea as the most important aetiological factors. They considered the treatment suggested by a cosmetologist and contraceptive pill as the best one; only 8% of mothers reported that they regularly took their children to the dermatologist. CONCLUSIONS: In order to improve the treatment and the quality of life in acne patients, there is a need to improve awareness about this disease and its causes and to highlight the role and importance of dermatologists.
acne; quality of life; self-esteem; dermatologist
Settore MED/35 - Malattie Cutanee e Veneree
8-gen-2019
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/620560
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