An Observational Study on Female Genital Dermatoses and the Impact of Chronic Genital Dermatoses on Quality of Life in Adult Females

Abstract

Background Female genital dermatoses (FGD) or vulvar dermatoses are a group of disorders that affect the vulva and contiguous parts. Most of the FGDs can be chronic or recurrent. Effects on Quality of life (QoL) in patients having dermatological conditions are well studied but this is not the case in vulvar dermatoses. Aims We aimed to study the etiology of genital dermatoses in females attending the Dermatology Out Patient Department (OPD) and to assess QoL in females with chronic FGD (>6 weeks duration). Settings and Design This was an observational study on female patients with vulvar complaints presenting to dermatology OPD. Both venereal and nonvenereal dermatoses were enrolled. QoL was assessed in females with chronic FGD using a self-administered Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Statistical Analysis Sample size was calculated using the formula Categorical variables were presented as numbers and percentages (%) and continuous variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and median. The normality of the data was tested by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test or non-parametric test. A t-test was used for the estimation of the mean. Results Ninety-seven patients were included in our study; Vulvovaginal candidiasis was the most common dermatoses (22.6%); Lichen simplex chronicus (11.3%) the commonest non-venereal dermatoses. 57 (58.7%) had chronic FGD, among whom 43 (75.4%) had significant QoL impairment. Conclusions Infectious etiologies predominated. There was significant impairment in QoL in females with chronic FGD.

Keywords

• female
• genitalia
• lichen simplex chronicus
• quality of life
• vulvovaginal candidiasis