Health Boards
This is a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology from a Dutch web-based survey about treatment satisfaction.
Background:
Various psoriasis treatments are currently available: topical therapy, photo(chemo)therapy, oral agents, and biologicals. Little is known about patients’ satisfaction with these treatment options. Moreover, the few available studies show methodological shortcomings.
Objectives:
The present study aims to answer the following questions: 1a) How satisfied are psoriasis patients with their current treatment?; 1b) Does patients’ satisfaction significantly differ between treatment types when controlling for demographic and clinical factors?; 2a) How important are specific domains of satisfaction to patients?, and 2b) When taking perceived importance into account, which domains merit the most attention in improving quality of care?
Methods:
Members of the two existing Dutch psoriasis patient associations were invited to complete a web-based survey, which included a study-specific satisfaction questionnaire.
Results:
1293 patients completed the survey (response rate 32%). Overall, patients were moderately satisfied with their current treatment. Patients receiving topical treatment were significantly least satisfied; patients receiving biological treatment were significantly most satisfied. Overall, patients rated ‘treatment effectiveness’ as most important, followed by ‘treatment safety’ and ‘doctor-patient communication’. Domains with the highest ‘room for improvement’ scores were: 1) effectiveness of topical therapy, phototherapy and oral agents, but not biological treatment, 2) convenience of topical treatment, and 3) safety of systemic treatments (both oral agents and biological).
Conclusions:
From the patients’ perspective, biological treatment is promising. To further improve the quality of psoriasis care, the effectiveness and convenience of topical therapies, the safety of systemic therapies, and doctors’ communication skills need to be addressed.
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Background:
Various psoriasis treatments are currently available: topical therapy, photo(chemo)therapy, oral agents, and biologicals. Little is known about patients’ satisfaction with these treatment options. Moreover, the few available studies show methodological shortcomings.
Objectives:
The present study aims to answer the following questions: 1a) How satisfied are psoriasis patients with their current treatment?; 1b) Does patients’ satisfaction significantly differ between treatment types when controlling for demographic and clinical factors?; 2a) How important are specific domains of satisfaction to patients?, and 2b) When taking perceived importance into account, which domains merit the most attention in improving quality of care?
Methods:
Members of the two existing Dutch psoriasis patient associations were invited to complete a web-based survey, which included a study-specific satisfaction questionnaire.
Results:
1293 patients completed the survey (response rate 32%). Overall, patients were moderately satisfied with their current treatment. Patients receiving topical treatment were significantly least satisfied; patients receiving biological treatment were significantly most satisfied. Overall, patients rated ‘treatment effectiveness’ as most important, followed by ‘treatment safety’ and ‘doctor-patient communication’. Domains with the highest ‘room for improvement’ scores were: 1) effectiveness of topical therapy, phototherapy and oral agents, but not biological treatment, 2) convenience of topical treatment, and 3) safety of systemic treatments (both oral agents and biological).
Conclusions:
From the patients’ perspective, biological treatment is promising. To further improve the quality of psoriasis care, the effectiveness and convenience of topical therapies, the safety of systemic therapies, and doctors’ communication skills need to be addressed.
Source: NO LINKS ALLOWED