Nearly Half of Female Psoriasis Patients Report IPV, Study Finds

A newly published article in BMC Women’s Health examines an under-recognized dimension of psoriasis care: the prevalence and clinical impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women living with this chronic inflammatory skin disease. The study, conducted by Agaoglu and colleagues at Eskisehir Osmangazi University, is among the first to evaluate IPV exposure and associated posttraumatic stress symptoms specifically in women with psoriasis.¹

Psoriasis is long known to be influenced by psychological stress through dysregulation of neuroendocrine and immune pathways.² However, as the authors note, “the presence of IPV and related posttraumatic stress has never been examined in psoriasis patients.” Their work attempts to fill this gap by assessing how emotional, physical, and sexual IPV, along with IPV-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, relate to disease severity and dermatology-specific quality of life.

Methods and Materials

The investigators conducted a cross-sectional study of 134 adult women with psoriasis attending a dermatology outpatient clinic between October 2021 and September 2022. Eligibility required a current or past intimate relationship of at least 1 month and the ability to complete study questionnaires independently. Psoriasis severity was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), and quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).

IPV exposure was assessed using the Violence Against Women Instrument (VAWI), which measures psychological, physical, and sexual violence. Posttraumatic stress symptoms related specifically to intimate partner experiences were measured using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

The mean age of participants was 46 years. Most (82.8%) were married, and nearly half were unpaid domestic workers. Plaque psoriasis represented the majority subtype, and the mean DLQI score suggested substantial quality-of-life impairment.

Prevalence of IPV Among Women With Psoriasis

IPV was reported at notably high rates in this clinical population. Nearly half of participants (46.3%) indicated they had experienced at least 1 form of IPV in their lifetime. Psychological IPV was by far the most common, affecting 45.5% of participants, while 15.7% reported physical IPV and 8.2% reported sexual IPV.

The authors highlight that “psychological IPV was the most prevalent form of IPV,” a finding that aligns with broader literature showing psychological violence frequently co-occurs with or precedes other types of IPV. Comparisons with population-based studies in other countries suggest these rates are higher than typically reported, though cross-country comparisons are complicated by cultural and methodological differences.

Associations Between IPV, PTSD, Psoriasis Severity, and Quality of Life

Participants who reported lifetime IPV exposure differed significantly from non-exposed individuals on several clinical measures:

• Quality of life: Women with IPV exposure had significantly higher DLQI scores (indicating worse dermatologic quality of life).
• Posttraumatic stress symptoms: IPV-exposed women had markedly higher PCL-5 scores—median 34 versus 16 in non-exposed participants.
• Disease severity: Although psoriasis severity (PASI) did not significantly differ between groups in direct comparison, the study found a weak but statistically significant correlation between PCL-5 scores and PASI (ρ = 0.184, p = 0.047).

These findings support the authors’ hypothesis that chronic traumatic stress may influence dermatologic disease. They write that “lifetime IPV exposure is associated with lower dermatological quality of life and higher posttraumatic stress,” underscoring the interconnectedness of psychological trauma and skin health.

The results also align with psychoneuroimmunological models in which chronic stress, especially involving dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, can exacerbate inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis.

Implications for Clinical Practice

This study highlights IPV as an important but often overlooked psychosocial factor in women with psoriasis. The authors emphasize that health care providers should maintain awareness of IPV risk when caring for dermatology patients, noting that recognizing and addressing traumatic stress may help enhance overall quality of life.

While causal relationships cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design, the findings suggest that IPV-related stress may contribute to poorer psychosocial outcomes and potentially influence disease activity. The authors recommend future longitudinal studies to clarify directionality and mechanisms.

Conclusion

Agaoglu and colleagues’ research brings attention to the substantial burden of IPV among women with psoriasis and its associations with impaired quality of life and heightened posttraumatic stress symptoms. Their conclusion is clear: “Health care providers should be aware of IPV and prevent the deleterious effects of violence on this vulnerable group of women.”

By integrating psychosocial assessment into dermatologic care, clinicians may better identify hidden contributors to disease burden and support more holistic management strategies for female psoriasis patients.

References

1. Agaoglu E, Yılmaz-Karaman IG, Acıkbas F, Kaya Erdogan H. Intimate partner violence exposure among women with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study. BMC Womens Health. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12905-025-04170-8
2. Lei D, Gong C, Wang B, Zhang L, Zhang G, Man MQ. The role of psychological stress in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Aug 11;12:1614863. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1614863.