Association between hirsutism and mental health

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of psychiatric disturbances in a sample of hirsute women.

METHODS: This case-control study was carried out on 100 hirsute women referred to a dermatology clinic in Sari, Mazandaran, Iran from 2004 to 2005. One hundred non-hirsute healthy control subjects were case-matched for demographic variables and completed the symptom checklist revised (SCL-90-R) instrument. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 11).

RESULTS: Forty-three percent of the women reported psychological distress, with the most common subscales being interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid, depression, and obsessive compulsive. In the control group, 42% were suspicious for mental disorders. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION: No significant difference concerning mental health was reported between the hirsute and non-hirsute women. This maybe due to patients having adapted to their disorder due to the presence of high social stress conditions in Iran.