Tan Isabella J, Jafferany Mohammad
Department of Dermatology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, USA.
J Paediatr Child Health. 2024 Dec;60(12):778-782. doi: 10.1111/jpc.16678. Epub 2024 Oct 7.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder characterised by sudden hair loss, and can range from patchy baldness to more severe forms such as alopecia totalis and universalis. Hair loss can have a profound impact on self-esteem and body image, particularly during childhood and adolescence. Understanding the psychosocial impact of alopecia areata in paediatric and adolescent populations is crucial to address the emotional and social challenges faced by these patients. The aim is to review the existing literature for clinical studies and reports investigating the psychosocial impact of alopecia areata in paediatric and adolescent populations. A systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases from inception to July 2023. Included articles assessed the psychosocial impact of alopecia areata in paediatric and adolescent populations. Of 79 total articles, 10 were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. Several studies highlighted self-esteem, emotional distress and social challenges as features of psychosocial manifestations. Factors such as stress, psychiatric comorbidities and familial issues are significantly associated with alopecia areata in these populations. The heterogeneity of studies precluded data synthesis and analysis. A majority of the included studies evaluated short-term findings. Alopecia areata has significant psychosocial impacts in paediatric and adolescent populations, with studies emphasising the negative effects on self-esteem, body image and quality of life. Additional research is required to better elucidate this relationship and draw meaningful conclusions to guide clinical support and interventions.
斑秃是一种自身免疫性疾病，其特征为突然脱发，范围可从局部脱发到更严重的形式，如全秃和普秃。脱发会对自尊和身体形象产生深远影响，尤其是在儿童期和青少年期。了解斑秃对儿童和青少年人群的心理社会影响对于应对这些患者所面临的情感和社会挑战至关重要。目的是回顾现有文献中关于调查斑秃对儿童和青少年人群心理社会影响的临床研究和报告。使用PubMed、Cochrane和Embase数据库对从数据库建立到2023年7月的文献进行了系统回顾。纳入的文章评估了斑秃对儿童和青少年人群的心理社会影响。在总共79篇文章中，有10篇被确定符合纳入标准。几项研究强调自尊、情绪困扰和社会挑战是心理社会表现的特征。压力、精神共病和家庭问题等因素与这些人群的斑秃显著相关。研究的异质性妨碍了数据的综合和分析。大多数纳入研究评估的是短期结果。斑秃对儿童和青少年人群具有显著的心理社会影响，研究强调了其对自尊、身体形象和生活质量的负面影响。需要进一步的研究来更好地阐明这种关系，并得出有意义的结论以指导临床支持和干预。
