{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T12:05:23Z","timestamp":1791201923830,"version":"4.2.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,13]],"date-time":"2022-10-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1665619200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and objectives: Psoriasis can lead to feelings of stigmatization, hinder social functioning, and impair quality of life. Psoriasis can also affect sexual activity, but there is still little research on this topic. The present study investigated whether and to what extent psoriasis, its severity, location and extent of skin lesions affect sexual dysfunction. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 women and 64 men aged 18 to 73 years hospitalized for psoriasis exacerbations were included in the study. Psoriasis severity, as assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), ranged from 0.2 to 65 points (mean: 17.0 \u00b1 14.9 points). After collecting demographic and clinical data, each subject was asked to complete the Dermatology Life Quality Index, the 11-item Sexual Life Questionnaire and the International Index of Erectile Function (only men). Results: Our study found that more than 90% of the patients surveyed felt at least a slight unattractiveness due to psoriasis. In approximately 80% of the subjects, the skin lesions at least occasionally affected their sex life, and more than 50% at least sometimes avoided sexual contact. The location of psoriasis, particularly in the genital area (p = 0.01), on the face (p = 0.03) and hands (p = 0.05), also had a significant impact on the level of sexual problems. Psoriasis has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL), and a deterioration in QoL was strongly correlated with sexual dysfunction (r = 0.6, p &lt; 0.001), PASI scores (r = 0.36, p &lt; 0.001), self-assessment of psoriasis severity and location of psoriatic lesions. Conclusions: Psoriasis leads to various limitations, especially in the sphere of sexual life. Patients with psoriasis feel stigmatized, have lowered self-esteem and consequently experience significant sexual problems. Awareness of the co-occurring psychological aspect of psoriasis and the routine use of validated scales in dermatology practice should contribute to the rapid identification of patients with sexual dysfunction.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina58101443","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,13]],"date-time":"2022-10-13T22:21:11Z","timestamp":1665699671000},"page":"1443","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":22,"title":["Sexual Dysfunction in Women and Men with Psoriasis: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"58","author":[{"given":"Kamila","family":"K\u0119dra","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Students\u2019 Scientific Circle of Experimental Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, 35-055 Rzeszow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kinga","family":"Janeczko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Students\u2019 Scientific Circle of Experimental Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, 35-055 Rzeszow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Izabela","family":"Michalik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Students\u2019 Scientific Circle of Experimental Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, 35-055 Rzeszow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5573-1754","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adam","family":"Reich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, 35-055 Rzeszow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"743180","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.743180","article-title":"The Global, Regional, and National Burden of Psoriasis: Results and Insights From the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study","volume":"8","author":"Damiani","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.2147\/PTT.S159916","article-title":"Psoriasis and sexual dysfunction: Links, risks, and management challenges","volume":"8","author":"Duarte","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psoriasis"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3140682","DOI":"10.1155\/2018\/3140682","article-title":"Psoriasis and respiratory comorbidities: The added value of fraction of exhaled nitric oxide as a new method to detect, evaluate, and monitor psoriatic systemic involvement and therapeutic efficacy","volume":"2018","author":"Santus","year":"2018","journal-title":"BioMed Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Conic, R.R., Damiani, G., Schrom, K.P., Ramser, A.E., Zheng, C., Xu, R., McCormick, T.S., and Cooper, K.D. (2020). Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis cardiovascular disease endotypes identified by red blood cell distribution width and mean platelet volume. J. Clin. Med., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm9010186"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8802469","DOI":"10.1155\/2022\/8802469","article-title":"Cognition\/psychological burden and resilience in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and psoriasis patients: Real-life data and implications for the treatment","volume":"2022","author":"Damiani","year":"2022","journal-title":"BioMed Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"adv00553","DOI":"10.2340\/00015555-3906","article-title":"Musculoskeletal pain in patients with psoriasis and its influence on health-related quality of life: Results from a Danish population-based survey","volume":"101","author":"Felbo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Acta Derm. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1007\/s11916-021-00952-5","article-title":"Pain management in painful psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy: Challenging and intricately intertwined issues involving several systems","volume":"25","author":"Kodumudi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Pain Headache Rep."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"adv00258","DOI":"10.2340\/00015555-3617","article-title":"Skin pain in patients with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis: A web-based survey","volume":"100","author":"Reich","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acta Derm. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"772","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1346-8138.2006.00179.x","article-title":"Sexual dysfunction in patients with psoriasis","volume":"33","author":"Ermertcan","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1080\/13548500600594908","article-title":"Understanding and tackling health-related stigma","volume":"11","author":"Scambler","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychol. Health Med."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.2340\/00015555-1193","article-title":"Patients with psoriasis feel stigmatized","volume":"92","author":"Salomon","year":"2012","journal-title":"Acta Derm. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1177\/2475530318781339","article-title":"Stigmatization in psoriasis","volume":"3","author":"Chen","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.1080\/0092623X.2018.1462276","article-title":"Analysis of sexual problems in men with psoriasis","volume":"44","author":"Reid","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Sex Marital Ther."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"434","DOI":"10.4103\/0253-7176.168587","article-title":"A cross-sectional study of prevalence and implications of depression and anxiety in psoriasis","volume":"37","author":"Lakshmy","year":"2015","journal-title":"Indian J. Psychol. Med."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"adv00151","DOI":"10.2340\/00015555-3509","article-title":"Genital psoriasis and associated factors of sexual avoidance\u2014A people-centered cross-sectional study in Germany","volume":"100","author":"Schielein","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acta Derm. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1590\/abd1806-4841.20183071","article-title":"Evaluation of the occurrence of sexual dysfunction and general quality of life in female patients with psoriasis","volume":"93","author":"Kurizky","year":"2018","journal-title":"An. Bras. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2044","DOI":"10.1111\/jdv.16270","article-title":"Impact of patient psoriasis on partner quality of life, sexuality and empathy feelings: A study in 183 couples","volume":"34","author":"Halioua","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2230.1994.tb01167.x","article-title":"Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)\u2014A simple practical measure for routine clinical use","volume":"19","author":"Finlay","year":"1994","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1080\/00926230701267951","article-title":"Sexual dysfunctions in patients with neurodermatitis and psoriasis","volume":"34","author":"Mercan","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Sex Marital Ther."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"36","article-title":"How does stigma affect people with psoriasis?","volume":"34","author":"Marcinkiewicz","year":"2017","journal-title":"Postep. Dermatol. Alergol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"611","DOI":"10.1159\/000510654","article-title":"The sense of stigmatization in patients with plaque psoriasis","volume":"237","author":"Jankowiak","year":"2021","journal-title":"Dermatology"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.47102\/annals-acadmedsg.V47N12p516","article-title":"Psychological profile of patients with psoriasis","volume":"47","author":"Lim","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann. Acad. Med. Singap."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1001\/jamadermatol.2018.3442","article-title":"Association between psoriasis and sexual and erectile dysfunction in epidemiologic studies a systematic review","volume":"155","year":"2019","journal-title":"JAMA Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1247","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2133.2011.10249.x","article-title":"Quality of life and sexual health in patients with genital psoriasis","volume":"164","author":"Meeuwis","year":"2011","journal-title":"Br. J. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1342","DOI":"10.1111\/jdv.13625","article-title":"Sex and the PASI: Patients affected by a mild form of psoriasis are more predisposed to have a more severe form of erectile dysfunction","volume":"30","author":"Bardazzi","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2047","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-016-0757-8","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of erectile dysfunction in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and healthy population: A comparative study considering physical and psychological factors","volume":"45","year":"2016","journal-title":"Arch. Sex. Behav."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16003","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2016.3","article-title":"Erectile dysfunction","volume":"2","author":"Yafi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1097\/JCP.0b013e31819c76e9","article-title":"Sexual dysfunction, depression, and the impact of antidepressants","volume":"29","author":"Kennedy","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Clin. Psychopharmacol."}],"container-title":["Medicina"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/58\/10\/1443\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:53:11Z","timestamp":1760143991000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/58\/10\/1443"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,13]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10]]}},"alternative-id":["medicina58101443"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/medicina58101443","relation":{},"ISSN":["1648-9144"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1648-9144","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,13]]}}}