Pediatric Scabies: Association with Sleep Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, and Impaired Quality of Life
Keywords:
pediatric scabies, quality of life, sleep disorder, Depression, anxietyAbstract
Introductıon: Scabies is a contagious, infectious skin disease that is observed worldwide. Scabies affects individuals of all ages, although it exhibits significant differences between childhood and adulthood. While publications documenting the co-occurrence of anxiety, depression, and impaired quality of life in adult patients with scabies are increasing, the presence of these issues in pediatric patients remains a topic of curiosity.
Objectıves: In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of sleep disorders, quality of life, anxiety, and depression in children with scabies.
Methods: In this analytical case-control study, 68 scabies patients and 69 healthy controls aged between 6 and 17 years were included.
Results: In patients with scabies, sleep quality was significantly poorer compared to the control group (p<0.001). There was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of RCADS (Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale) and total anxiety and depression scores. In the control group, the number of individuals with upper and upper-middle socioeconomic levels was higher (p=0.036). A moderate correlation was found between impairment in dermatology-related quality of life and deterioration in sleep quality in patients with scabies (r=0.606, p<0.001).
Conclusıon: This study found that sleep disorders are common among children diagnosed with scabies, negatively impacting their quality of life compared to healthy controls. We believe that obtaining information about both night and day sleep patterns during dermatological follow-ups of children diagnosed with scabies, and providing recommendations on sleep hygiene as part of the treatment process, may have positive effects on a child’s quality of life.
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