Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey

Purpose Vitiligo often affects quality of life and psychosocial well-being. This analysis of the population-based global Vitiligo and Life Impact Among International Communities (VALIANT) study sought to understand the impact of vitiligo on depression and depressive symptoms from the patient perspec...

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Main Authors: Khaled Ezzedine, Davinder Parsad, John E. Harris, Nanja van Geel, Jackie Gardner, Kristen Bibeau, Jessy Gao, Haobo Ren, Iltefat H. Hamzavi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of Dermatological Treatment
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09546634.2025.2504082
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author Khaled Ezzedine
Davinder Parsad
John E. Harris
Nanja van Geel
Jackie Gardner
Kristen Bibeau
Jessy Gao
Haobo Ren
Iltefat H. Hamzavi
author_facet Khaled Ezzedine
Davinder Parsad
John E. Harris
Nanja van Geel
Jackie Gardner
Kristen Bibeau
Jessy Gao
Haobo Ren
Iltefat H. Hamzavi
author_sort Khaled Ezzedine
collection DOAJ
description Purpose Vitiligo often affects quality of life and psychosocial well-being. This analysis of the population-based global Vitiligo and Life Impact Among International Communities (VALIANT) study sought to understand the impact of vitiligo on depression and depressive symptoms from the patient perspective.Materials and methods The cross-sectional survey collected information on patient demographics, clinical characteristics, mental health diagnoses, and depressive symptoms (assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire–Depression screener [PHQ-9]) among recruited patients who reported a vitiligo diagnosis.Results Of 3541 VALIANT respondents, 24.5% reported formal diagnosis of depression, and 55.0% reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression per the PHQ-9. Rates of formally diagnosed depression and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were significantly higher in younger patients, those with Fitzpatrick skin types IV–VI (i.e. darker skin), >5% affected body surface area, hand or face involvement, and those receiving mental healthcare versus their counterparts (all p < 0.0001). Interestingly, moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were more common among patients with shorter disease duration (≤2 vs 3–9 and ≥10 years; p < 0.01), but there was no correlation between diagnosed depression and disease duration.Conclusions These VALIANT study findings highlight that depression may be common but often undiagnosed among patients with vitiligo, reinforcing the importance of an improved and multifaceted approach to vitiligo management.
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spelling doaj-art-a53f4ded933d4e538bb6cf7c13e6a4b42025-08-20T03:07:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Dermatological Treatment0954-66341471-17532025-12-0136110.1080/09546634.2025.2504082Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT surveyKhaled Ezzedine0Davinder Parsad1John E. Harris2Nanja van Geel3Jackie Gardner4Kristen Bibeau5Jessy Gao6Haobo Ren7Iltefat H. Hamzavi8Department of Dermatology, Henri Mondor University Hospital and Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne, Paris, FranceDepartment of Dermatology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, IndiaDepartment of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USADepartment of Dermatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, BelgiumVitiligo Support International, Lynchburg, VA, USAIncyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE, USAIncyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE, USAIncyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE, USADepartment of Dermatology, Henry Ford Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USAPurpose Vitiligo often affects quality of life and psychosocial well-being. This analysis of the population-based global Vitiligo and Life Impact Among International Communities (VALIANT) study sought to understand the impact of vitiligo on depression and depressive symptoms from the patient perspective.Materials and methods The cross-sectional survey collected information on patient demographics, clinical characteristics, mental health diagnoses, and depressive symptoms (assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire–Depression screener [PHQ-9]) among recruited patients who reported a vitiligo diagnosis.Results Of 3541 VALIANT respondents, 24.5% reported formal diagnosis of depression, and 55.0% reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression per the PHQ-9. Rates of formally diagnosed depression and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were significantly higher in younger patients, those with Fitzpatrick skin types IV–VI (i.e. darker skin), >5% affected body surface area, hand or face involvement, and those receiving mental healthcare versus their counterparts (all p < 0.0001). Interestingly, moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were more common among patients with shorter disease duration (≤2 vs 3–9 and ≥10 years; p < 0.01), but there was no correlation between diagnosed depression and disease duration.Conclusions These VALIANT study findings highlight that depression may be common but often undiagnosed among patients with vitiligo, reinforcing the importance of an improved and multifaceted approach to vitiligo management.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09546634.2025.2504082Depressiondisease burdenquality of lifesurveysymptomsvitiligo
spellingShingle Khaled Ezzedine
Davinder Parsad
John E. Harris
Nanja van Geel
Jackie Gardner
Kristen Bibeau
Jessy Gao
Haobo Ren
Iltefat H. Hamzavi
Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
Journal of Dermatological Treatment
Depression
disease burden
quality of life
survey
symptoms
vitiligo
title Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
title_full Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
title_fullStr Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
title_full_unstemmed Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
title_short Depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo: findings from the cross-sectional, population-based global VALIANT survey
title_sort depression and depressive symptoms among people living with vitiligo findings from the cross sectional population based global valiant survey
topic Depression
disease burden
quality of life
survey
symptoms
vitiligo
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09546634.2025.2504082
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