Determinants of Quality of Life in Vitiligo Patients: The Mediating Role of Stigma

This study investigated the relationship between health literacy and quality of life (QoL) in patients with vitiligo and examined the mediating role of stigma. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 348 vitiligo patients from a tertiary hospital in China. Participants completed the Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Disease Patients (HLSCP), the Social Impact Scale (SIS), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and mediation analysis (PROCESS macro, Model 4) were performed. Results showed that only 6.6% of participants had adequate health literacy. Most patients reported moderate stigma (64.7%) and moderate‐to‐severe QoL impairment (92.8%). Health literacy was negatively correlated with stigma ( r = −0.46, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with QoL ( r = 0.59, p < 0.01). Stigma was negatively correlated with QoL ( r = −0.57, p < 0.01). Mediation analysis confirmed that stigma partially mediated the relationship between health literacy and QoL, with an indirect effect of 0.07 (95% CI: 0.04–0.10), accounting for 30% of the total effect. The findings suggest that lower health literacy is associated with higher stigma and poorer QoL in vitiligo patients. Interventions aimed at improving health literacy and reducing stigma may enhance patient well‐being.