Page 88 - JCBP-2-1

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Psychological high-risk factors for acne

before the study, and the questionnaire was completed once were lost, and the study was finally completed with 169
a month for 1 year. Those with confirmed mental illness participants; 1605 valid questionnaires were returned.
or impaired consciousness were excluded from the study. Among them, 50 (29.59%) were male, and 119 (70.41%)
All participants were informed that the data collected were were female; all of them aged 21.37 ± 1.93 years. There
used for scientific research and that all data were treated were 135 (79.88%) students. Twenty-six participants
anonymously. (15.38%) were engaged in general indoor occupations,
while 8 (4.73%) were involved in other occupations.
2.2. Method Regarding the educational background of the participants,
The general profile (gender, age, occupation, and education 21 (12.43%) participants did not possess an undergraduate
level) of the participants was recorded. Patient Health degree, while 137 (81.07%) participants held undergraduate
Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), degrees, and 11 (6.51%) had obtained master’s degrees and
the pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and acne higher. The general information is summarized in Table 1.
condition questionnaires were sent out regularly every The majority of participants had no or mild anxiety,
month, and the participants completed the assessment depression, and sleep quality, and the distribution of the
independently. number of people with depressed mood, anxiety, and sleep
Informed consent was obtained and participants were quality is shown in Figures 1-3.
trained to accurately distinguish between acne types In evaluating the relationship between anxiety,
(pimples, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts). We define depression, sleep quality, and the occurrence of acne, the
that if a new papule, pustules, nodules, or cysts occurs, it is self-assessment results of the participants were utilized.
considered inflammatory acne. The appropriate data were Depression, anxiety, and sleep were considered the
collected monthly for follow-up analysis. independent variables, while the presence of acne in the
PHQ-9 is a 9-item self-rating scale with four options of participants was treated as the dependent variable. These
1, 2, 3, and 4 scores. The sum is calculated as the depression variables were included in the GEE model, with a binary
score, with 0 – 4 being no depression, 5 – 9 being mild logistic model selected. Depression and moderate sleep
depression, 10 – 14 being moderate depression, 15 – 19 quality were found to be significantly correlated with
being moderate-severe depression, and 20 or more being the presence of acne (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, depression
severe depression. and moderate and poor sleep quality were found to be
In SAS, four options are 1, 2, 3, and 4, where 5, 9, 13, 17, statistically associated with the presence of inflammatory
and 19 are the reverse options. The sum is calculated and acne (P < 0.05). However, no statistically significant
multiplied by 1.25 to obtain the anxiety score. A score <50 relationship was found with anxiety. Detailed GEE results
is no anxiety, 50 – 60 is mild anxiety, 60 – 70 is moderate are shown in Tables 2 and 3.
anxiety, and 70 or more is severe anxiety.
PSQI contains seven items, each with a value range Table 1. General information of participants
of 0 – 3. A score of 0 – 5 is good sleep quality, 6 – 10 is Characteristics Total (n=169) (%)
moderate sleep quality, and 11 or more is poor sleep quality. Gender
2.3. Statistical analysis Male 50 (29.59)
Female 119 (70.41)
All analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0 (Version
26, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The demographic data Age
were analyzed descriptively. Continuous variables were 19 – 23 146 (86.39)
expressed as mean±standard deviation and examined using 24 – 28 23 (13.61)
a t-test. Categorical variables were expressed as numbers Occupations
and proportions and examined by the Chi-square or Fisher’s Students 135 (79.88)
exact test. The relationship among anxiety, depression, General indoor occupations 26 (15.38)
sleep, and acne was examined using generalized estimating Other occupations 8 (4.73)
equations (GEE). The significance level was set at 0.05.
Education level
3. Results No undergraduate degrees 21 (12.42)

From July 2020 to June 2021, 178 participants were recruited Undergraduate degrees 137 (81.07)
and assessed monthly. At the end of the study, 9 (5.05%) Master’s degrees and above 11 (6.51)

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.0944