Health-related behaviors and mental health states of South Korean adolescents with atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic skin disease with a negative influence on adolescent mental health state. We aimed to identify the influencing factors for mental health in adolescents with AD. We used data from the 13th Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) conducted in 2017. KYRBS data were obtained from a stratified, multistage, clustered sample. Participants responded to the question "have you ever been diagnosed with AD by a doctor?" and several yes/no questions about stress, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Among 62 276 participants, the proportion of adolescents with AD was 25.0%. Compared with adolescents without AD, those with AD were significantly more likely to experience stress, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation (P < 0.001) at rates of 59.1%, 27.8% and 13.9%, respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression model, subjective unhappiness was most strongly associated with stress in subjects with AD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.87-9.18), while depression (aOR, 9.83; 95% CI, 7.85-11.32) and suicidal ideation (aOR, 5.70; 95% CI, 5.01-6.48) were reciprocally the most important risk factors in adolescents with AD. AD in adolescents is associated with a higher prevalence of stress, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. It is important for pediatricians to watch for these risks and to screen for suicidality in adolescents with AD.