TOPLINE:

Suicidal ideation was elevated in patients with dermatologic conditions across Europe, with strong positive associations with younger age, being single, low BMI, depression, anxiety, high stigmatisation, and dissatisfaction with appearance, according to a multicentre study.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted an observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study including 5487 adult participants with dermatologic conditions from 22 outpatient clinics in 17 European countries between September 2017 and December 2019.
• Participants completed self-report questionnaires for sociodemographic variables and psychological indicators including depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2), anxiety (two-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale), perceived stigmatisation (21-item Perceived Stigmatization Questionnaire), and satisfaction with appearance.
• Suicidal ideation (overall and related to skin condition) was assessed in the participants compared with that in the control group consisting of 2808 individuals recruited from the same European countries.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall, the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 13.7%, compared with 8.4% in the control group, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation attributed to the skin condition was 7.0%.
• The prevalence of suicidal ideation was higher among participants younger than 36 years than among those older than 57 years (16.7% vs 9.1%; P < .001), with similar observations noted for suicidal ideation due to skin conditions (9.1% vs 4.0%; P < .001), and among participants who were single than among those who had a partner (P < .001).
• Participants with psychodermatologic conditions showed the highest prevalence of suicidal ideation, followed by those with hidradenitis suppurativa, hyperhidrosis, atopic dermatitis, chronic prurigo, and psoriasis.
• Greater severity and longer duration of the disease, skin flares, chronic itch, burning, stinging, pain, symptoms of depression or anxiety, high levels of stigmatisation, and dissatisfaction with appearance were significantly associated with suicidal ideation.

IN PRACTICE:

"[The study] findings highlight the need for heightened clinical awareness and targeted psychosocial assessment in patients with specific high-risk dermatological conditions, rather than a uniform screening approach applied indiscriminately to all patients," the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Francesca Sampogna, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata (IDI)-IRCCS, Rome, Italy. It was published online on June 05, 2026, in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

LIMITATIONS:

In this study, suicidal ideation was assessed using a single non-validated self-report question, which may have been underreported or overreported. The study had a cross-sectional design, and the reliance on self-reported data may have led to a positive answer by a participant due to temporary emotional distress without genuine suicidal intent. Disease severity and flares were assessed at a single timepoint at enrolment and may not have fully captured the dynamic and fluctuating course of chronic skin conditions. Control individuals were not matched to participants for sociodemographic variables and were not evaluated by a dermatologist to exclude the presence of a dermatologic condition.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. One author reported receiving consultation fees from AbbVie and serving as the secretary general of the European Society for Dermatology and Psychiatry. Additional disclosures are noted in the original article.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.