Psoriasis is a common, genetically determined inflammatory and proliferative disease of the skin. Psychological stress can also exacerbate the disease. The goal of the present study was to compare depression and anxiety symptom in patients with psoriasis and control group.

One-hundred patients with psoriasis (case) referred to the dermatology department and 100 patients with Otolaryngology problems and dermatological healthy volunteers (control) who referred to the Otolaryngology department of Bouali Sina hospital in Sari/Iran in 2007 were studied. Demographic characteristics were recorded. Then the Beck Depression Inventory and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale I-II were administered to the patients in both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and descriptive statistical tests.

From 100 patients in each studied group, 44 (45%) were men. Patients with psoriasis and controls had depression scores of 67% and 12%, respectively. The Beck depression scores of patients with psoriasis were significantly higher than scores of the control group (P < 0.05). Based on Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale, anxiety was found in 45% of patients in case group and 18% of controls.

The results revealed that Psoriasis patients reported significantly higher degrees of depression and anxiety than controls. In addition, psoriatic women were more depressed than psoriatic men.