Satisfaction with Life and Coping Strategies among Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory dermatosis with vast psychosocial burden. The objective of this study is to thoroughly analyze satisfaction with life (SWL) and coping strategies of HS patients in relation to the clinical and psychosocial factors.

Methods: 114 HS patients (53.1% females; mean age 36.6 ± 13.1 years) were enrolled. Severity of the disease was measured using Hurley staging and International HS Score System (IHS4). Instruments utilized: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS); Coping-Orientation to Problems-Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE); HS Quality of Life Scale (HiSQoL); Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7); General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28).

Results: SWL was low in 31.6% of HS patients. No relation was found between SWL and Hurley staging and IHS4. SWL correlated with GHQ-28 (r = -0.579 p < 0.001), PHQ-9 (r = -0.603 p < 0.001), GAD-7 (r = -0.579 p < 0.001), and HiSQoL (r = -0.449 p < 0.001). Problem-focused coping strategies were most commonly used, followed by emotion-focused coping and avoiding coping strategies. Significant differences were found between the following coping strategies and SWL: self-distraction (p = 0.013), behavioral-disengagement (p = 0.001), denial (p = 0.003), venting (p = 0.019), and self-blame (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: HS patients present low SWL which correlates with psychosocial burden. Reducing anxiety-depression comorbidity and encouraging optimal coping strategies may be of great importance in holistic approach to HS patients.

Keywords: acne inversa; coping; coping mechanisms; hidradenitis suppurativa; satisfaction with life.

Figure 1

Correlations between satisfaction with life and (A) GHQ-28, (B) PHQ-9, (C) GAD-7 and (D) HiSQoL. Each dot represents each patient’s questionnaire score.

Figure 2

Frequency of utilizing of main domains of coping strategies.

Figure 3

Coping strategies in different HS severity. (A) turning to religion/Hurley; (B) self-distraction/Hurley; (C) venting/Hurley; (D) emotion focused coping/Hurley; (E) avoidant coping/Hurley; (F) turning to religion/IHS4. Each dot represents each patient’s questionnaire score, while asterisks represent outlier data.

Figure 4

Coping strategies in HS patients with various satisfaction with life. (A) self-distraction/SWL; (B) behavioral disengagement/SWL; (C) denial/SWL; (D) avoidant coping/SWL; (E) venting/SWLl (F) self-blame/SWL. Each dot represents each patient’s questionnaire score.