Web app based patient education in psoriasis - a randomized controlled trial.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Health Informatics
• Patient Education

Background:

• Patients with psoriasis often desire more information and clearer therapeutic expectations.
• Dermatologists perceive a gap in patient understanding and internalization of treatment information.
• Enhanced patient education is crucial for improving compliance and satisfaction in psoriasis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a web-based application in educating psoriasis patients.
• To assess the impact of digital education on patient knowledge, medication adherence, and concern resolution.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 50 psoriasis patients at Wake Forest Baptist Health Dermatology.
• Patients were assigned to either a group receiving access to an educational web app or a control group.
• Efficacy was measured via a survey assessing knowledge, self-reported adherence, and addressed concerns.

Main Results:

• Patients using the web app achieved an average knowledge quiz score of 11/14, compared to 9/14 in the control group.
• This represents an approximate 18% improvement in knowledge for the web app group (p=0.008).
• No significant improvements were observed in self-reported medication adherence or the adequacy of addressing patient concerns.

Conclusions:

• Web app-based education, such as DermPatientEd.Com, is an effective method for enhancing psoriasis patient knowledge.
• The study did not establish a link between the educational web app and improved medication adherence or concern resolution.
• Further research may be needed to optimize digital tools for comprehensive patient support in psoriasis care.