School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
School of Education, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
BMC Psychol. 2019 Jul 23;7(1):48. doi: 10.1186/s40359-019-0324-x.
Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition that is characterised by non-scarring hair loss. Its aesthetic repercussions can lead to profound changes in psychological well-being. Although physical activity (PA) has been associated with better mental health outcomes in diverse populations, the association in individuals with AA has not been established. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between PA and mental health outcomes in individuals with AA to inform intervention strategies for this specific population.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals who were diagnosed with AA. A total of 83 respondents aged (40.95 ± 13.24 years) completed a self-report questionnaire consisting of International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Three-way contingency Chi-square analyses were used to determine the associations between PA, mental health outcomes and participants with hair loss of more than 50% on the scalp.
81.9% of the participants did not meet PA guidelines. Participants with hair loss of more than 50% on the scalp, and who did not meet PA guidelines, were significantly more likely to experience symptoms of severe depression (p = .003), moderate anxiety (p = .04) and mild stress (p = .003) than those who met guidelines CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that increased PA participation in AA individuals with severe hair loss is associated with improved mental health status. Intervention efforts for this specific population should consider barriers and enablers to PA participation as they face challenges that differ from the general population.
斑秃（AA）是一种自身免疫性疾病，其特征是无瘢痕性脱发。它的美学影响可能导致心理健康的深刻变化。尽管身体活动（PA）与不同人群的更好的心理健康结果相关，但在 AA 个体中的关联尚未确定。本研究的目的是检查 PA 与 AA 个体心理健康结果之间的关联，以为这一特定人群的干预策略提供信息。
在诊断为 AA 的个体中进行了横断面研究。共有 83 名年龄为（40.95±13.24 岁）的受访者完成了一份自我报告问卷，其中包括国际体力活动问卷-短表（IPAQ-SF）和抑郁焦虑压力量表（DASS-21）。使用三向 contingency Chi-square 分析来确定 PA、心理健康结果和头皮脱发超过 50%的参与者之间的关联。
81.9%的参与者不符合 PA 指南。头皮脱发超过 50%且不符合 PA 指南的参与者，与符合指南的参与者相比，出现严重抑郁（p=0.003）、中度焦虑（p=0.04）和轻度压力（p=0.003）的症状的可能性明显更高。
研究结果表明，头皮严重脱发的 AA 个体增加 PA 参与与改善心理健康状况相关。针对这一特定人群的干预措施应考虑 PA 参与的障碍和促进因素，因为他们面临的挑战与一般人群不同。
