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Published on: July 11, 2013
Attitudes Toward Proactive Topical Corticosteroid Use Among Women With Vulval Lichen Sclerosus
Sophie Rees1, Susanne Arnold2, Ashod Kherlopian3
1Bristol Trials Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Objectives:
Some practitioners are adopting proactive topical corticosteroid (TCS) therapy for vulval lichen sclerosus (VLS). We sought to understand patient attitudes toward proactive TCS therapy for VLS in a context in which proactive therapy is adopted.
Methods:
Four online focus group discussions with 12 participants. Data analysis was informed by social constructionist grounded theory.
Results:
All participants had accepted a proactive regimen. Three themes were developed from the analysis: "Coming to accept proactive therapy," "Motivators to maintaining a proactive regimen," and "The importance of a routine that fits me." Within each theme are subthemes illustrating different dimensions of the theme.
Conclusions:
Accepting proactive TCS therapy for VLS requires incorporating regular TCS use into a patient's identity, unlearning previous understandings regarding the safety of long-term TCS use, and adopting a regimen that fits within patients' lives and minimizes the loss of autonomy.
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