LIVING WITH PSORIASIS: AN INSIGHT INTO THE EMOTIONAL PAIN OF WOMEN

Abstract

Background: This qualitative study explore into the lived experiences of females with psoriasis. The main objective of this study was to investigate psychological and emotional aspects of stigmatization, social isolation, and body shaming and intimate relationships and to understand the societal attitudes and stereotypes towards individuals with Psoriasis.

Methods: For this purpose purposive sampling was used by taking participants from different institutes and   hospitals. A semi structured interview protocol was established to gain insights of their lived experiences. Through in-depth interviews, participants articulated their perceptions of stigmatization across diverse social contexts and its profound impact on overall well-being. The total sample size of the study was (N=8) females with psoriasis, and who were married. .Interpretative phenomenological design (IPA) was used for the purpose of analysis.

Results: Total eight superordinate themes were emerged after complete analysis that were impaired quality of life, associated health related issues, limited disease awareness, helplessness, ostracism, familial attitude, impact on mental health, experiment with treatment options and coping strategies. The study emphasizes the need of developing awareness regarding psoriasis and normalize living with the conditions.