Quality of life in patients with topical steroid-dependent facies: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

There has been widespread abuse of corticosteroids in all parts of the world, especially developing countries like India, due to the absence of regulatory guidelines regarding the sale and purchase of steroids. There is paucity of data from India regarding the effect of topical steroid-dependent facies (TSDF) on the quality of life (QoL). Materials and Methods: The study aimed to study the effect of TSDF on the QoL of patients with the help of the validated dermatology life quality Index (DLQI). A hospital-based cross-sectional study was done among the outpatients seeking treatment for TSDF at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Clinically diagnosed patients of TSDF were administered the English and Hindi questionnaire version of DLQI. Student t -test and analysis of variance were applied for comparison of means. Scores for continuous variables were correlated by Pearson’s correlation formula.