Topical Corticosteroid Phobia in Parents of Pediatric Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: a Multicentre Survey

Overview

Journal Ital J Pediatr

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2017 Mar 2

PMID 28245844

Citations 27

Authors

Maya El Hachem

Francesco Gesualdo

Giampaolo Ricci

Andrea Diociaiuti

Loredana Giraldi

Orsola Ametrano

Corrado Occella

Anna Belloni Fortina

Mirella Milioto

Fabio Arcangeli

Oriana Simonetti

Simona Giancristoforo

Elisabetta Calamelli

Carlo Mazzatenta

Iria Neri

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Families of children affected with atopic dermatitis (AD) often report fear and anxiety regarding treatment with topical corticosteroids (TCS), which may lead to reduced compliance. The objective of our study was to measure, through a standardized questionnaire, fear of TCS in families of pediatric patients with AD and to identify items associated with fear.

Methods: Families of pediatric patients with AD were enrolled in 9 Italian centers of pediatric dermatology. Enrolled parents were invited to fill in a questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and 3 sets of questions on corticosteroid phobia (general fear, specific fears, behaviours regarding TCS). Determinants of the level of general fear were investigated through multivariable analysis.

Results: A total of 300 outpatients with AD were enrolled. Most parents (80%) had a high instruction level. Eighty-one percent reported to have a certain amount of fear of TCS. At the multivariable analysis, fear of TCS was associated with the following items: believing that TCS treatment advantages do not overweight disadvantages (P = 0.011); believing that TCS may be dangerous independently from the specific side effect (P < 0.001). Moreover, TCS fear was associated with fear of applying too much cream (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: TCS phobia is widespread among Italian families of children with AD. Fear of TCS is associated with fear of applying too much cream, thus increasing the risk of poor compliance and treatment failure. Therapeutic education of families on the use of TCS should be implemented.

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