Socio-psychological features of patients with psoriasis

Abstract

Studying of socio-psychological characteristics of patients with different dermatoses, such as psoriasis, is a relevant subject of modern scientific reality. Practical and scientific significance of this issue is not limited only by psychological science and its branches - psychosomatics, psychodermatology, somatopsychology, etc. - but includes medicine as well. Due to incomplete knowledge of psoriasis etiology, absence of etiotropic treatment, increasing number of forms of the disease resistant to therapy, the research of psychological characteristics of such patients could help to make a significant contribution to a comprehensive approach to treating dermatosis, also to understanding of psychosomatic interconnections, and optimizing an interaction between the doctor and patient; to identify factors preventing social adaptation of such patients, and expand the knowledge base about etiopathogenesis of psoriasis. The article discusses some issues of psychosomatic relationship between the skin and psyche, provides a brief overview of theories of psoriasis etiology, describes procedure, methods and results of the empirical research of socio-psychological characteristics of patients suffering from psoriasis; and provides conclusions and discussion.