Skin Disease and Stigma in Emerging Adulthood: Impact on Healthy Development

Abstract

Background:

Visible skin disorders can limit healthy psychosocial development in several domains owing to the stigma these disorders create.

Objective:

To assess if emerging adults with acne and eczema perceive stigma in diverse developmental domains resulting from their visible skin conditions.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 336 emerging adults attending a diverse public university in northern California completed a Web-based survey. Multivariate modeling was used to determine if eczema and acne result in perceived stigma.

Results:

The mean (SD) age of respondents was 20.1(1.5) years; most were white (43.2%) and female (62.5%). Almost half (47%) reported acne and 16.4% reported eczema. The likelihood of experiencing perceived stigma was 1.6 (95% CI 1.13–2.27, p < .001) times higher for those with eczema compared to those without eczema, and the likelihood of experiencing perceived stigma was 3.19 (95% CI 2.41–4.22, p < .0001) times higher for those with acne compared to those without acne.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that emerging adults perceive stigma as a result of their acne and eczema in several important developmental domains. The results suggest that acne may have a stronger relationship with perceived stigma than eczema, perhaps owing to its greater visibility on the body. University-based activities are recommended to support those with skin disease.