Adherence to dermatologic treatment: A retrospective cross-sectional study on geriatric patients

With the prolongation of the average life expectancy worldwide, diseases including dermatological disorders of the elderly are gaining importance. The presence of comorbidities in this age group may affect the treatment strategies; compliance with follow-up and adherence to medication can be poor. The aim of this study is to evaluate the dermatological disorders of patients aged 65 and over and determine their adherence to dermatologic treatment.

A retrospective and cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 65 and over applied to a single tertiary dermatology clinic between April 2021 and April 2022. Diagnoses were that clinical and diagnostic tests were performed when only necessary.

A total of 207 admissions to the dermatology clinic by 135 patients were evaluated. Eczema (23.05%) and infections (25.2%) were the most common dermatological diagnoses. The percentage of patients with precancerous and cancerous lesions was 11.9%. Among 123 patients who need at least a follow-up visit, only 37 patients (30.1%) applied for follow-up as advised, and medicines were taken regularly by 23 of these patients (62.2%). Compliance with follow-up was lower among men (OR 0.365, 95% CI 0.160-0.834, and p=0.02) and patients who were treated only with local therapy agents (OR 0.345, 95% CI 0.138-0.863, and p=0.20).

Eczema and infections were the most common dermatological diagnoses among geriatric patients in the present study. The majority of geriatric patients with skin conditions were not applying for follow-up visits. Women and patients treated with systemic therapy agents were more compliant. The prevalence of basal cell carcinoma was not low, and this emphasizes the importance of a careful dermatological examination regardless of primary complaint in this age group.