Stigmatization in dermatology with a special focus on psoriatic patients

Abstract

A stigma is currently defined as a discrediting mark, biological or social, that sets a person off from others and disrupts interactions with them. People who differ from social norms in some respect are often negatively labeled. A number of medical conditions are recognized at present as stigmatizing their sufferers and certain skin diseases are among them. The article aimed to analyze the current understanding about stigmatization among dermatological patients, especially those with psoriasis. We performed our search on PubMed up to November 2016 and utilized combinations of key phrases containing such words as stigmatization, skin, dermatology, names of various skin conditions (psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, etc.). Following a precise selection process, 58 articles remained. Stigmatization seems to be a common and important problem in dermatology. Psoriasis appears as the most frequently studied skin disease (37.2% of articles). It was followed by vitiligo (13.7%) and leprosy (8.6%). Mainly, the visibility of skin lesions as well as cultural factors contribute to the feeling of stigmatization. There is a need for more research in the field of stigmatization in dermatological conditions and an urgent need for the creation of special anti-stigmatization program/programs for patients suffering from dermatoses.