Satisfaction and attitudes toward systemic treatments for psoriasis: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

In psoriasis patients, satisfaction and patients' attitude toward treatment are heterogeneous depending on several factors and remain poorly investigated, although the availability of several new targeted therapeutic options. A multicentre cross-sectional investigation was conducted to estimate treatment satisfaction and attitudes (awareness, trust, and therapeutic alliance) in a large population of adult psoriasis patients undergoing a systemic biologic or non-biologic agent for moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis. Patients' satisfaction was measured using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication II questionnaire and patients' attitudes toward treatment were evaluated using a Lickert scale. Results were related to patients' and treatment characteristics and therapeutic outcomes. The study included 899 psoriasis patients and demonstrated high-treatment satisfaction and positive attitudes toward systemic treatments, with greater influence of the perceived efficacy and the type of treatment. Biologic treatments and, in particular anti-IL17 agents showed higher results. More efforts in developing tools facilitating communication and exploring important aspects of patients' view are needed.