Factors influencing the well-being of adult Atopic Dermatitis patients

Abstract

Background: Poor well-being is one of the serious problems that adult patients of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) face. To provide care for patients with AD, factors influencing their psychological aspects need to be investigated. This study examined the effects of social support and illness-related cognition on the well-being of such patients. Methods: In total, 153 patients (70 males, 83 females, aged 16–65 years; M = 32.77, SD = 9.82) were requested to complete the questionnaire regarding the symptoms of AD, Family Support Scale for Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patient (FaSS-AD), Friend Support Scale for Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patient (FrSS-AD), Negative Cognition Scale for Atopic Dermatitis (NCS-AD), Positive Cognition Scale for Atopic Dermatitis (PCS-AD), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Self-Positiveness Scale (SPS). Findings: Structural Equation Modelling was applied to investigate the significant relations among variables, which revealed the following results: (1) the symptoms of AD had a negative influence on SPS through NCS-AD and DLQI; (2) social support was directly and positively associated with SPS; and (3) social support had a positive influence on SPS through PCS-AD. Discussion: This study suggests that intervention aimed to reduce negative cognition, encourage positive cognition towards AD and increase perceived social support could be useful in promoting such patients’ well-being.