Impact of Alopecia Areata on Pediatric Patients and Their Families: Insights from a Single-Center Study in Turkey
Alopecia areata (AA) is known to impact the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of affected individuals, yet there is a paucity of research focusing on its effects specifically in pediatric patients and their families. To address this gap, researchers recently conducted a single-center cross-sectional cohort study aimed at assessing the HRQoL of pediatric patients diagnosed with AA and evaluating its impact on their parents. Between December 2020 and December 2021, researchers enrolled 72 pediatric patients with AA from the dermatology department of a tertiary center in Turkey. They used the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) to gauge the HRQoL of pediatric patients, and the Dermatological Family Impact Scale (DeFIS) to evaluate the impact on their parents (often primary caregivers in the disease process). The results showed a mean CDLQI score of 8.4 ± 5.3 among the pediatric cohort, indicating moderate impairment. The symptoms and feelings domain exhibited the highes