Intimate partner violence exposure, posttraumatic stress and quality of life among women with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure is a chronic stressful condition that prevalently affects women's health and quality of life. As a chronic stressor factor, the presence of IPV and related posttraumatic stress have never been examined in psoriasis patients. The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual IPV exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms and quality of life among female psoriasis patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 134 female psoriasis patients. The disease severity was assessed with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) by a dermatologist. Patients were asked to complete the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the Violence Against Women Instrument (VAWI), and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Results: Sixty-two patients (46.3%) were exposed to at least one type of IPV and psychological IPV (45.5%) was the most prevalent form of IPV. Patients with lifetime IPV exposure had worse dermatological quality of life (U=1545.00, p=0.004) and higher posttraumatic stress symptoms (U=1272.00, p<0.001). Posttraumatic stress of IPV was related to higher PASI (ρ=0.184, p=0.047) and higher DLQI scores (ρ=0.654, p<0.001). Conclusions: IPV exposure is a common stressor that influences the psychological health of female psoriasis patients. Lifetime IPV exposure is associated with lower dermatological quality of life and higher posttraumatic stress. Acknowledging IPV-related chronic stress in patients with psoriasis may help increase quality of life. Healthcare providers should be aware of IPV and prevent the deleterious effects of violence on this vulnerable group of women.