Experiences of people living with rosacea

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Experiences of rosacea and its treatment: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

• IRAS ID

  172557

• Contact name

  Andrew Thompson

• Contact email

  a.r.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  The University of Sheffield

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 2 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Having a skin condition may have an adverse effect on people’s lives (Thompson, 2009). It requires managing one’s symptoms for which there is often no complete cure and might also involve dealing with potentially negative reactions from others (Thompson & Kent, 2001; Vardy et al., 2002). Having a skin condition might be associated with psychological difficulties including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even in extreme cases feelings of shame and concerns with body image (Gupta & Gupta, 2003; Loney et al., 2008).

  Rosacea is a skin condition affecting the face. On average, 1.65 individuals for every 1000 is diagnosed with rosacea each year in the UK (Spoendlin et al., 2012). Symptoms of rosacea can be alleviated through treatments applied directly on the skin and oral treatments (van Zuuren et al., 2011). Self-care techniques such as avoiding triggers that exacerbate the symptoms (e.g. strenuous exercise) can also be effective. Nevertheless, a cure for rosacea is not currently available. Some studies suggest that people with rosacea might experience increased social anxiety, symptoms of depression and reduced quality of life (Aksoy et al., 2010; Su & Drummond, 2012).

  The aim of this study is to explore the experiences associated with living with rosacea including experiences associated with receiving treatment for the condition. The qualitative method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, will be used with data collected via semi-structured interviews. We aim to recruit approximately 6-10 adults with rosacea (diagnosed by a medical professional) who sought treatment for their condition.

  This study will contribute to the understanding of psychological adjustment to skin conditions. It will also assist in providing information on the effects of living with rosacea and as such raise awareness of the needs of people living with the condition.

• REC name

  South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/SC/0300

• Date of REC Opinion

  14 May 2015

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion