What do Patients with Alopecia Areata Think About Their Diseases?

Objective

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring disorder characterized by sudden loss of hairs. There is only one study that investigated the concepts of AA patients about their diseases. In this study self concepts about the causes and course of their disorder and their learning sources were asked to AA patients.

Methods:

51 AA patients were enrolled to the study. The causes and the exacerbating factors of their disorders, how they have been directed to dermatology section, their concepts about the course of the disease and information sources were asked to the patients.

Results:

30 of AA patients were male 21 were female. The ages of the patients varied between 15 and 63 years. While 49% of the patients accused stress as the cause, 18% was worried that it was a possible sign of cancer. 63% patients thought that stress played a role in exacerbating their disease. 60% of the patients thought that AA might improve completely but 16% did not have hope of improvement. While 39% patients received information from dermatologist, 28% did not investigate their disorder. The patients' answers to the questionaire were not different according to sex, education status, family history of the patients, recurrence of the disorder and if there was associated diseases but it was found significant that as the ages of the patients increased they more frequently thought that stress might be the possible exacerbating factor.

Conclusion

AA patients blamed stress as the inducing and exacerbating factor of the disorder. However, as about 1/5 patients had worry of cancer and important rate of them had inadequate information about their disorder, dermatologists should give more information to the patients. Also listening and reducing the concern of the patients may positively effect the treatment.