Impact of dermatophytosis on the quality of life in a subset of patients in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Background: Dermatophytosis is a common superficial fungal infection, which often causes pruritic and exten-sive skin lesions that can be relapsing. In tropical countries like Sri Lanka, warm and humid conditions favour their spread. Lesions often involve visible areas, and this leads to discomfort and psychosocial distress. However, the impact of clinical and socio-demographic factors on quality of life remains insufficiently studied. This study assesses the effect of dermatophytosis on quality of life in a sample of patients from the Colombo district.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 202 patients with clinically diagnosed tinea infections of glabrous skin. Data were collected using the validated Sinhala Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Associations of independent variables were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s correlation tests, with significance set as P<0.05.
Results: The DLQI scores ranged from 0 to 30 (mean 10.37 ± 6.68; median 9.00; IQR 11). The largest  proportion of participants had a very large effect on quality of life (33.8%). Among DLQI domains, the highest impact  was seen in the “symptoms and feelings”, whereas the least impact was observed in the “treatment” domain. 
Among the subset of 61 participants who completed the socio-demographic questionnaire, monthly income showed a significant negative correlation with DLQI (U = 314.5, P = 0.049), while education level and gender were not significantly associated. Among clinical factors, only groin involvement was significantly associated with higher DLQI scores (U = 192.5, P = 0.047). However, there’s no significant association of disease duration and time for first consultation on the DLQI score.
Conclusion: Tinea infections have a considerable effect on quality of life, particularly among patients with groin involvement. Socioeconomic status, specifically income, appears as a significant determinant of disease burden. These findings highlight the importance of targeted management strategies addressing both clinical severity and psychological and socioeconomic factors.