Living With Acne Vulgaris in Young Adults: A Holistic Examination of Its Impact on Quality of Life Using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).

BACKGROUND

Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory skin disease that shows chronic effects in adolescents and young adults. Its impact on quality of life (QoL) often extends beyond the physical symptoms, influencing social interactions and reducing self-confidence. Although these impacts are widely acknowledged, they are seldom given sufficient attention or assessed in depth with standardized measures like the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which acne interferes with QoL in young adults using DLQI scores and its associations with demographic and clinical factors.

METHODS

This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2023 and December 2023 at Gayatri Vidya Parishad Institute of Health Care and Medical Technology, Visakhapatnam, India. The study population comprised 200 participants aged 16-28 diagnosed with acne. Data collected included demographic factors (age, sex), clinical features (acne grade, duration, site, scars, hyperpigmentation, and skin type), and DLQI scores. Acne severity was classified from grade I to IV, and the relationships between DLQI scores and clinical/demographic variables were analyzed using chi-squared tests, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 19.6 years, with women comprising 68.5% of the study population. Acne grade II was the most common, and the average DLQI score was 11.14, indicating a noticeable impact on QoL. Nearly half of the participants (48%) reported a "very large" effect on QoL. Highly significant associations were found between duration of acne, post-acne hyperpigmentation, and grade of acne with DLQI scores (all p<0.001), showing that longer duration, hyperpigmentation, and higher grades of acne significantly worsened QoL. Significant associations were also observed for site of acne and acne scars (both p<0.05), with multiple acne sites and severe scarring linked to greater negative impacts on DLQI scores. Grade III-IV acne were especially tied to bigger hits on QoL. Additionally, site of acne and acne scars were highly associated with acne grade (p<0.001). Factors such as having acne for over two years, oily skin, acne across multiple sites (face, chest, and back), and post-acne hyperpigmentation contributed to higher DLQI scores.

CONCLUSION

Acne vulgaris has a marked impact on QoL in young adults, especially those with severe, persistent, and extensive cases. Focusing on both the physical and mental aspects of acne in treatment could make a difference. Further multi-center studies with larger samples are recommended to generalize these findings and help create targeted interventions.