The 2.5 million French people with psoriasis are victims of heavy prejudices. Forced to live with a disease that cannot be cured (but which can be cured), they also suffer a double penalty. They would have difficulty socializing for fear of being judged as contagious, psychologically weak and even sometimes dirty. They endure daily avoidance in the world of work, public spaces and even experience rejection in married and family life.
This observation of such ignorance was revealed by a survey published by the France Psoriasis Association which wishes to fight against its injustices by making the French aware of this disease.
Psoriasis, a poorly understood disease
According to this survey, 1/3 of French people know without knowing what this disease is. 8 in 10 French people say that psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. But 1 in 5 French people do not actually know the exact definition of the disease and especially associate it with psychological problems or a lack of hygiene.
In fact, psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that can appear in many forms. The most common being plaque psoriasis. It is characterized by red patches, well defined, thick, covered with whitish scales, which are preferentially located on the scalp, elbows, knees and lumbar region. This repulsive aspect may explain that many French people face an amalgamation with dirt.
This is also why 42% of those polled say they prefer to avoid physical contact with a person suffering from psoriasis, a disease which is however not contagious. More than one in 5 French people admit not agreeing to shake their hands, and 26% to kiss them. And yet 9 out of 10 French people say they are aware that this discrimination is detrimental to patients. They create general discomfort and sometimes trigger a nervous breakdown.
The association is organizing a national campaign for “a softer look” on psoriasis which will be broadcast in all major cities in France on October 29, the 10th World Psoriasis Day.
” This campaign must communicate to the general public the reality of the disease: an autoimmune disease, non-psychological and non-contagious, so that the stigmatization of people with psoriasis finally ends. »Declares Roberte Aubert, President of France Psoriasis.
This OpinionWay survey was carried out with a representative sample of 1,002 individuals aged 18 and over, from July 15 to 16, 2013 in metropolitan France.
