How Does Illness Perception Affect the Quality of Life and Sun Protection Behaviors of Rosacea Patients?

Background: Previous studies have noted the link between rosacea severity and quality of life, but there is limited understanding of how disease perception impacts these aspects. Additionally, sun exposure is identified as a common trigger for rosacea flare-ups, emphasizing the importance of sun protection practices in managing the condition. This cross-sectional study aims to fill the gap in the literature by investigating the relationship between clinical severity, disease perception, quality of life, and sun protection behaviors in rosacea patients.

Methods: Questionnaires assessing the quality of life, illness perception, sun protection behaviors, sun protection decisional balance, and its potential predictors were completed by 120 rosacea patients and 120 controls.

Results: Patients exhibited a higher prevalence of sun protection behaviors than the control group (24.15 ± 5.76 vs. 17.63 ± 5.56, p < 0.001) and demonstrated greater determination in adhering to sun protection practices (13.43 ± 2.37 vs. 9.40 ± 3.09, p < 0.001). Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that quality of life was related to clinical severity, illness perception (consequences, illness coherence, emotional representations), causal attribution (risk factors, immunity), and sun protection decisional balance variables (R² = 0.45, F = 7.39, p < 0.001). Also, the perceived pros and cons of sun protection behaviors were predicted by illness perception (treatment control), causal attribution (risk factors, immunity, chance/accident), and quality of life variables (R² = 0.24, F = 2.59, p = 0.004).

Conclusions: Providing more information to rosacea patients can improve their disease perception and quality of life, increasing adherence to sun protection behaviors.