Pediatric Scabies: Association with Sleep Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, and Impaired Quality of Life.

Abstract

Introduction: Scabies is a contagious, infectious skin disease that is observed worldwide. Scabies affects individuals of all ages, although it exhibits significant differences between childhood and adulthood. While the number of publications documenting the co-occurrence of anxiety, depression, and impaired quality of life (QoL) in adult patients with scabies is increasing, the presence of these issues in pediatric patients remains a topic of curiosity.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of sleep disorders, QoL, anxiety, and depression in children with scabies.

Methods: In this analytical case-control study, 68 scabies patients and 69 healthy controls aged 6-17 years were included.

Results: In patients with scabies, sleep quality was significantly poorer compared to the control group (P<0.001). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of RCADS (Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale) and total anxiety and depression scores. In the control group, the number of individuals with upper and upper-middle socioeconomic levels was higher (P=0.036). A moderate correlation was found between impairment in dermatology-related QoL and deterioration in sleep quality in patients with scabies (r=0.606, P<0.001).

Conclusion: This study found that sleep disorders are common among children diagnosed with scabies, negatively impacting their QoL compared to healthy controls. We believe that obtaining information about both night and day sleep patterns during dermatological follow-ups of children diagnosed with scabies and providing recommendations on sleep hygiene as part of the treatment process may have positive effects on a child's QoL.