Patient education in atopic dermatitis: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Health Education
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting all ages.
• Effective self-management is crucial for AD treatment adherence.
• Current guidelines recommend patient education but lack specific delivery methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of patient education practices in atopic dermatitis.
• To identify existing literature on AD patient education strategies.
• To highlight the clinical need for enhanced patient education in AD management.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, etc.).
• 16 studies met the eligibility criteria from 388 initial articles.
• Data were summarized using narrative synthesis, focusing on randomized controlled trials.

Main Results:

• Patient education methods included group programs, pamphlets, consultations, and online resources, primarily targeting children and caregivers.
• Limited studies since 2002 evaluated AD patient education, with only one comparing different methods.
• Despite study heterogeneity, patient education demonstrated improvements in quality of life, disease severity, and psychological outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Patient education is effective for improving various aspects of atopic dermatitis treatment.
• Further comparative studies and long-term randomized trials are necessary.
• Validated, consistent recommendations for AD patient education are needed, potentially tailored to age and population.