Academic Journal
Psychological and behavioral burden of scabies: a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of pruritus, anxiety, behavioral adaptation, and quality of life.
| Τίτλος: | Psychological and behavioral burden of scabies: a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of pruritus, anxiety, behavioral adaptation, and quality of life. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Akın Ö; Department of Dermatology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İçerenköy Mah. Hastahane Sok. No:4 34752 Ataşehir, Istanbul, Türkiye. ozlem.akin@yeditepe.edu.tr., Tanrıöver Ö; Department of Medical Education, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye. |
| Πηγή: | BMC primary care [BMC Prim Care] 2026 Jun 10; Vol. 27 (1). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 10. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9918300889006676 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2731-4553 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 27314553 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Prim Care Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [London] : BioMed Central Ltd., [2022]- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Scabies*/psychology , Scabies*/complications , Pruritus*/psychology , Pruritus*/etiology , Anxiety*/etiology , Anxiety*/psychology , Quality of Life* , Adaptation, Psychological*, Humans ; Female ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Severity of Illness Index ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Generalized Anxiety Disorder |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Scabies is a readily transmissible parasitic skin disease frequently seen in primary care and characterized by intense pruritus. While its clinical features are well described, the psychological and behavioral aspects of scabies, including anxiety, maladaptive behaviors, and their effect on quality of life, remain insufficiently explored. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, psychological, and behavioral impact of scabies and to examine the associations between anxiety, behavioral changes, pruritus severity, and dermatology-related quality of life (DLQI). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adults with confirmed scabies, diagnosed according to the 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) criteria, were included. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing pruritus severity, pre- and post-treatment pruritus duration, behavioral changes, anxiety measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and DLQI. Non-parametric tests, Spearman correlation analyses, and multivariable linear regression with robust standard errors were used to evaluate associations between clinical and psychosocial variables. Results: A total of 173 participants were analyzed (median age 37 years [IQR 27-46]; 48.6% female). Median pruritus severity was high (8.0 [7.0-10.0]), while median GAD-7 and DLQI scores were 4.0 [2.0-7.0] and 8.0 [1.0-18.0], respectively. Pruritus severity was significantly correlated with behavioral change (ρ = 0.27, p < 0.001) but not with anxiety or quality-of-life impairment. In contrast, DLQI showed significant correlations with anxiety (ρ = 0.379, p < 0.001) and behavioral change (ρ = 0.211, p = 0.005). Pre-infestation fear of scabies was associated with nearly two-fold higher anxiety scores (median GAD-7 7.0 vs. 3.5, p < 0.001) and greater behavioral change. Nodular scabies independently predicted greater impairment in quality of life in multivariable analysis (β = 3.25, p = 0.047). Conclusions: Quality-of-life impairment in scabies was more closely related to anxiety scores and nodular presentation than to itch intensity alone. Anxiety and behavioral responses were significantly associated with DLQI scores, suggesting that management should address more than antiparasitic treatment and include psychological and behavioral dimensions. As most patients are initially evaluated in primary care, these factors can be assessed during early consultations, alongside standard treatment. (© 2026. The Author(s).) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Marmara University Faculty of Medicine Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Approval No. 09.2026.26-00045; January 20, 2026). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before participation in the study. This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Anxiety; Behavioral change; Primary care; Pruritus; Quality of life; Scabies |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260610 Date Completed: 20260724 Latest Revision: 20260813 |
| Update Code: | 20260813 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13393859 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12875-026-03417-z |
| PMID: | 42265616 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
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