Treatment refusal among patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Treatment refusal, which is defined as a patient actively refusing to take treatment despite physician recommendations, has never been evaluated in psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate refusal of topical treatments by patients living with psoriasis in France.

METHODS: Using responses to an internet study, participants who refused topical treatment (n = 50) were compared to those who applied topical treatment (n = 205). Participants undergoing phototherapy, biotherapy, and oral treatment were excluded. Spearman rank correlations completed by Fisher's exact tests and Student's t-tests were performed.

RESULTS: Comorbidities, localization of lesions, and symptoms associated with psoriasis were not significant predictors of treatment refusal. Compared to patients who accepted treatment, more patients who refused treatment believed that psoriasis is not manageable (80.0% versus 61.5%; p = 0.01), that psoriasis treatments never work (58.0% versus 27.5%; OR: 2.09 p < 0.0001), and that all creams have the same effects (54.0% versus 31.7%; OR: 1.7, p = 0.003). Among patients who reported seeking medical attention from physicians, more patients in the treatment refusal group reported some level of dissatisfaction with their relationship with their physician than in the treatment acceptance group.

LIMITATIONS: The validity of the self-reported treatment refusal could not be evaluated.

CONCLUSION: Treatment refusal is an important element to be taken into consideration in the management of psoriasis.