Medication adherence stressful for psoriasis patients
(HealthDay)—Adhering to medication regimens for the treatment of psoriasis can be an additional source of considerable emotional distress for patients, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Rachael J. Thorneloe, Ph.D., from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues interviewed 20 people with psoriasis about their perceptions of their psoriasis, medication, and adherence to medication and self-management advice.
The researchers found that adhering to recommended treatment regimens conflicted with the patients' reported management of the physical and psychological demands of living with psoriasis. For some participants, medication usage was seen as a cause of unresolved emotional distress and resulted in poor self-reported adherence, which included medication overuse, underuse, and rejection of prescribed therapies altogether. An additional source of stress was the perceived lack of engagement by clinicians regarding participants' self-management difficulties.
"We interpreted some episodes of non-adherence to psoriasis medication as rational attempts by individuals to minimize distress and to gain control over their life," the authors write.
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