Hidradenitis suppurativa and psychosocial well-being: a cross-sectional survey analysis from the All of Us research program

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease that often leads to decreased quality of life. Prior research assessing stress and discrimination related to stigmatization of those with HS is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the association between HS and the following factors related to psychosocial well-being: stress, discrimination, and loneliness. We performed secondary analysis of participants 18 years and older registered in the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program in March 2024. The study sample was limited to individuals who had completed ≥ 1 of 4 psychosocial well-being surveys. Among 1,352 individuals with HS, 135 were included in the sample. Among 208,290 individuals without HS, 56,902 were included. The following surveys assessed loneliness, stress, perceived discrimination in everyday settings, and perceived discrimination in medical settings, respectively: the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, Everyday Discrimination Scale, and Discrimination in Medical Settings Scale. The association between HS and survey scores was modeled using multivariable linear regression adjusted for self-reported sex, self-reported race and ethnicity, age, and income. In an unadjusted model, those with HS reported a significantly higher degree of stress (Mean HS (SD) = 21.5 (4.74); Mean non−HS (SD) = 19.8 (3.98); p