Related Experiment Videos
Patients with psoriasis and their compliance with medication
H L Richards1, D G Fortune, T M O'Sullivan
1Department of Behavioural Medicine, University of Manchester School of Medicine, Hope Hospital, Salford, United Kingdom.
Background:
Poor compliance with treatment advice in chronic conditions, such as psoriasis, represents a major challenge to health care professionals. Previous research suggests that the rate of noncompliance in chronic conditions may be as high as 40%.
Objective:
This study was designed to examine self-reported compliance in patients with psoriasis.
Methods:
We undertook an anonymous postal survey sent to consecutive patients with psoriasis attending a tertiary psoriasis specialty clinic.
Results:
Thirty-nine percent of participants reported that they did not comply with the treatment regimen recommended. The noncompliant group had a higher self-rated severity of psoriasis (t = -2.16, P =. 03), were younger (t = 3.28, P =.001), and had a younger age at onset (t = 2.35, P =.02) than those who were compliant. The noncompliant group reported that psoriasis had a greater impact on daily life (t = -2.23, P =.028), but general well-being was not significantly different from those who complied (t =.47, P = not significant).
Conclusion:
Patients who reported intentional noncompliance with treatment advice were more likely to believe that both psoriasis and its treatment interfered with their quality of life but not overall well-being. The impact of treatment on daily life highlights the importance of joint decision making in planning treatment.