Angèle Soria, Claire Thénié, Christina Bienenfeld, Delphine Staumont-Sallé
DOI: 10.2340/00015555-3913

It is important to understand patients’ and dermatologists’ perceptions of various aspects of atopic dermatitis, but there is a lack of studies on quality of life and stakeholder viewpoints in this therapy area. The aim of this study was to compare patients’ and dermatologists’ viewpoints regarding the impact of atopic dermatitis that is uncontrolled by topical corticosteroids. Data were collected from 348 adult patients who responded to self-administered questionnaires, and 150 telephone interviews with the dermatologists who selected them. Patients and dermatologists reported both convergent and divergent assessments of the impact of atopic dermatitis and its treatment. Notable areas of agreement were regarding the safety of emollients, the time required and difficulty of applying topical corticosteroids, especially to certain parts of the body. Divergent views involved the perceived efficacy of available treatments and the impact of atopic dermatitis on professional life. A greater understanding of these differences would help dermatologists to optimize patient care.

This study found that patients with atopic dermatitis and the dermatologists treating them have both convergent and divergent views regarding various aspects of this disease and its treatment. The differences and similarities reported by participants in this study shed light on the relevance of addressing quality of life aspects during consultations. The results of this study provide several ideas for how dermatologists can contribute to improving patient understanding of, and compliance with, prescribed therapies.