Public reactions to facial psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, and alopecia areata
Evaluation of Stigma Toward Patients With Alopecia Areata, Atopic Dermatitis, Vitiligo, and Psoriasis
This project tests how adults in the general population emotionally and socially respond to faces showing psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, or alopecia areata.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Roma, Italia) |
| Trial ID | NCT06801821 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The study measures differences in emotional reactions and social stigma toward four dermatologic conditions when they affect the face by showing participants AI-generated facial images representing each condition. Participants will indicate which images evoke compassion/pity, disgust, blame/disapproval/disdain, and curiosity, and will complete a 14-question Likert stigma questionnaire focused on one randomly selected disease. Basic demographic data (age, gender, employment, education) will be collected and total stigma scores will range from 14 to 70, with lower scores indicating greater stigma. People with personal or first-degree family diagnoses of these conditions or with direct professional/personal knowledge are excluded, and the study is conducted at the dermatology unit of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli in Rome.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged over 18 without a personal diagnosis or first-degree family history of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, or alopecia areata and who can provide written informed consent are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who have one of these diagnoses, a first-degree relative with one of the diagnoses, or who have direct professional or personal knowledge of the diseases are excluded and will not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could identify specific stigmatizing attitudes and help guide educational or anti-stigma efforts to improve social support for people with visible skin conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has documented stigma toward dermatologic conditions (notably psoriasis), so the general approach is supported by prior work, though using AI-generated facial images to compare all four conditions is a relatively novel element.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * -Patients aged\>18 years, both sexes; * Signature of written informed consent; Exclusion Criteria: * Patients diagnosed with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo or alopecia areata. * Patients with first-degree relatives with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo or alopecia areata * Those who for professional or personal reasons have direct knowledge of the diseases in question.
Where this trial is running
Roma, Italia
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, UOC Dermatologia — Roma, Italia, Italy (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Giacomo Caldarola, MD — Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
- Study coordinator: Caldarola
- Email: giacomo.caldarola@unicatt.it
- Phone: +390630155284
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.