[Assessment of an educational program in an "Atopic School": pilot study in 40 patients]

The assessment of the educational management of 40 moderate to severe atopic patients was performed in the atopic dermatitis school created in Nantes (France) from November 2000 to May 2001.

Patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (SCORAD >20) were selected according to the criteria of Hanifin and Rajka and included in an open pilot study including a specific educational program. Atopic training included consultations, demonstrations, interviews with both dermatologist and nurses and workshops organized in three subgroups according to the age of the patients. SCORAD index, educational diagnosis and at least one educational objective were established during the first consultation. Evaluation criteria were defined in accordance with the educational objectives. Specific educational tools were used for each objective.

Forty patients (mean age: 9 years) were followed during 6 months. At the beginning of the study the mean SCORAD was of 50.5. After a 6 months follow-up, the mean SCORAD was of 22 and improvement of the SCORAD was noted in 97 p. 100 of cases. Educational objectives were reached in 70.6 p. 100 of cases. One patient lost contact.

The educational approach of atopic dermatitis includes global assessment of the disease after identification of risk factors, disrupted quality of life, skin-damaging behavior, family stress. Educational diagnosis focusing on local treatment is a major step; topical treatment is either misunderstood or conducted erroneously or non-existent. Therapeutic education plays a key role in the compliance and efficacy of treatment. Pain management, demonstration and explanation of skin care by health care professionals, information on the disease in age-specific workshops provided good results in more than 70 p. 100 of cases. Severe atopic dermatitis in children can lead to major domestic conflicts when the parents are in charge of the treatment. Giving responsibilities to the children, by teaching them how to treat themselves, relieves the parents from their involvement and finally reduces the conflicts.

The difficulties encountered in treating refractory atopic dermatitis may be secondary to the severity of the disease, to poor compliance or to the extent of the psychological impact. Therapeutic education of the patient, as performed in the atopic dermatitis school, represents a major breakthrough in the care of such patients.