Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that can significantly affect mental health and quality of life. While psoriasis has been well studied in many parts of the world, research on psoriasis in African populations is extremely limited. To address this gap, we partnered with Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya to establish the first psoriasis registry in Kenya, termed the Kenyan Psoriasis Registry (KPR), which enrolled over 214 psoriasis cases and control subjects in its first year.

In this study, we analyzed data from 97 adult patients with psoriasis enrolled in the KPR to identify factors associated with worse quality of life and mental health using validated questionnaires assessing dermatology-related quality of life (DLQI), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). We found that younger age, more severe itch, and greater sleep disturbance were independently associated with worse dermatology-related quality of life. Sleep disturbance and being separated from a spouse or partner were associated with both higher anxiety and depression scores. Notably, sleep disturbance was also correlated with psoriasis severity and pain, suggesting that sleep may reflect the broader overall burden of psoriasis.

These findings suggest that addressing itch and sleep quality may be important targets for improving quality of life and mental health outcomes in Kenyan psoriasis patients. This work contributes new evidence on psoriasis in an underrepresented population and underscores the need for comprehensive management strategies that extend beyond skin disease alone.