Acta dermato-venereologica
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Acta Derm. Venereol. · May 2011
Psychosocial stress and coping in alopecia areata: a questionnaire survey and qualitative study among 45 patients.
The controversial role of psychosocial stress in alopecia areata has been discussed widely, but there has been little research into patients' subjective stress experiences and coping. The aim of this study was to explore general and specific coping strategies in alopecia areata and to assess the role of psychosocial stress in the onset and course of alopecia areata from the patient's viewpoint. ⋯ Patients do not have dysfunctional coping strategies in general, but they benefit from advantageous strategies in terms of better alopecia areata-specific coping and course of disease after 6 months. Psychological interventions in alopecia areata should focus on training general and alopecia areata-specific coping competences and regulating negative emotionality and insecurity, particularly at the first onset of alopecia areata.
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Acta Derm. Venereol. · May 2011
Letter Case ReportsNotalgia paresthetica: successful treatment with exercises.
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Acta Derm. Venereol. · Jan 2011
ReviewPatient education in chronic skin diseases: a systematic review.
The negative impact of skin disease on quality of life (QoL) has been described in many studies. Patient education as an adjunct to treatment, with the aim of improving QoL and reducing disease severity, is a relatively new technique in dermatology. The objective of this article is to analyse and summarise evidence concerning the effects of patient education on QoL and disease severity in patients with chronic skin diseases. ⋯ In five of them, statistically significant improvements in QoL were reported. The severity of skin disease significantly improved in three studies. In conclusion, patient education appears to be effective in improving QoL and in reducing the perceived severity of skin disease.