Factors that Predict Patients' Satisfaction with the Psychological Outcome and the Appearance of their Skin after Treatment

Objective: The present study examined whether dermatological patients’ demographic and social characteristics could predict their satisfaction with the medical outcome. Moreover, it focused on two aspects of patients’ satisfaction; firstly, psychological factors that could predict satisfaction from the medical outcome and secondly, satisfaction from the appearance of their skin, after treatment. Methods: 108 patients (18~35 years) participated in the study. Fifty four were diagnosed by their Dermatologists with severe visible facial cystic acne (Group A) and 54 with non-visible psoriasis/eczema (Group B). The study included two assessment phases: prior to and post dermatological treatment phase. At prior to treatment phase, all patients agreed with their Dermatologist to begin medical treatment and were administered the Sociodemographic questionnaire, the BDD Diagnostic Module-for adults, the Multidimensional body–self relations questionnaire, the Interpersonal support evaluation list and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. At post dermatological treatment phase (six months after patients completed their dermatological treatment), there was a follow-up assessment and all participants were administered the Questionnaire on patients' satisfaction with the medical outcome. Results: Patients’ previous address to a specialist for their skin disorder predicts lower levels of satisfaction with the medical outcome. Patients' lower overall appearance satisfaction at prior to dermatological treatment phase and the group in which patients belong (visible or non-visible skin disorder), predict higher satisfaction with the medical outcome. The higher the possibility that a patient has a visible skin disorder (group of acne) and the less satisfied they are with their overall appearance at prior to dermatological treatment phase, the higher their satisfaction with the appearance of their skin after treatment is predicted to be. Lastly, if a patient fulfills the criteria for the diagnosis of BDD and the higher their perceived social support at prior to dermatological treatment phase, the lower their satisfaction with the appearance of their skin after treatment is predicted to be. Conclusion: Satisfaction with the medical outcome and satisfaction with the appearance of the skin are two perceptually different areas for dermatological patients. They are both found to be predicted by various psychological factors and as such psychological assessment of patients prior to dermatological treatment is deemed necessary.