A cognitive-behavioural symptom management programme as an adjunct in psoriasis therapy

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Psoriasis significantly impacts patients' psychological and social well-being.
• Stress and distress are potential exacerbating factors in psoriasis.
• Adjunctive psychological therapies show promise in psoriasis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Psoriasis Symptom Management Programme (PSMP), a 6-week multidisciplinary approach.
• To assess the PSMP's effectiveness in improving psoriasis clinical severity.
• To determine the PSMP's impact on psychological distress and disability associated with psoriasis.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving psoriasis patients at an outpatient specialty clinic.
• Comparison between standard psoriasis treatment alone (n=53) and standard treatment plus PSMP (n=40).
• Assessments conducted at baseline, end of the 6-week program, and 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The PSMP group showed significantly greater reductions in psoriasis clinical severity compared to standard care alone (P=0.001).
• PSMP participation led to significant reductions in anxiety (P=0.001), depression (P=0.001), psoriasis-related stress (P=0.001), and disability (P=0.04).
• These improvements were sustained at both 6-week and 6-month follow-up points.

Conclusions:

• A 6-week integrated multidisciplinary approach effectively manages both physical and psychological aspects of psoriasis.
• The PSMP equips patients with techniques for sustained psoriasis control for at least six months.
• This program offers a valuable adjunct to standard psoriasis treatment, improving overall patient outcomes.