Factors Influencing Adherence to Phototherapy in Patients With Psoriasis: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Elena Violeta Iborra-Palau, Elena Garcia-Redondo, Raquel Alabau-Dasi
PMID 39315759WHAT IT FOUND
Low adherence was common in 72 psoriasis patients receiving nurse-administered phototherapy: 54.7% attended fewer than 84% of sessions.
Anxiety, depression, public transport and having a stable partner were linked to lower attendance, while oncological disease was linked to higher attendance.
Key findings
0154.7% of the 72 patients had low adherence, defined as completing less than 84% of sessions.
02Anxiety, depression, public transport and having a stable partner were associated with lower adherence, while oncological disease was associated with higher adherence.
03Average adherence was 77.5% among patients who changed treatment and 78% among those who dropped out, compared with 88.2% among those discharged with resolution.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used convenience sampling at a single hospital service, so the 72 patients may not represent other psoriasis populations. It was cross-sectional, so it can show associations with adherence but cannot show that anxiety, depression, transport or partnership caused lower attendance. The study started just before the COVID-19 pandemic; lockdown sessions were excluded from the adherence calculation, which may limit generalisability. The paper states there was no information on disease exacerbation level. Adherence definitions vary across studies, so comparison with other work is difficult. Only patients receiving narrow-band UVB phototherapy for psoriasis were included, and they were in Valencia, where warm climate may influence treatment attendance.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating anxiety, depression, transport barriers or a stable partner will improve phototherapy adherence. This cross-sectional survey only found associations in 72 patients, and it did not test any intervention.