Quality of Life of Patients with Scabies in an Urban Slum Area of Ludhiana

Introduction: Scabies affects 200–300 million individuals annually around the globe and it is a serious public health issue causing social stigmatisation in patients. With this background and its substantial impact on morbidity, this study was undertaken with the objective to find the demographic profile, clinical morphology and quality of life in patients suffering from scabies in urban slums of Ludhiana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, time-bound hospital-based study was carried out for a period of 2 months. A total of 173 patients with a diagnosis of scabies comprising all adults and children >5 years of age attending skin outpatient department were included in the study. The collected information was entered in Microsoft Excel sheet and analysed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of the study population was 34.85 ± 17.48 years. The most affected age groups were 18–40 years (46.9%), followed by 41–60 years (26.0%) and 17.9% in children. The majority of patients had difficulty in working and feelings of embarrassment, and in three-fifths of patients, their sexual relationship was affected due to scabies. In children, more than half experienced teasing and feeling of embarrassment and their routine activities such as playing were affected. Conclusion: In the present study, scabies moderately affected the quality of life of the patients in the form of embarrassment and stigma associated with disease. As it is a contagious disease, early diagnosis and prompt treatment can be helpful in the prevention and control of disease.