Healthcare of patients with atopic dermatitis by general practitioners - a nationwide survey in Germany.

Background And Objectives: Epidemiological studies on the health care of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) in dermatological treatment in Germany indicate no improvements within 10 years. In addition to dermatologists, general practitioners (GPs) are particularly involved in AD treatment. This study analyzed the health care situation of adult patients with AD by GPs.

Dermatology Life Quality Index in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: Are "Not Relevant" Responses Relevant?

Introduction: According to the DLQI user manual, the patients' answers "not relevant" (NR) and "not at all" (affected in this aspect of life by the skin problem) are treated equally and interpreted as no impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to gain more insights about "NR" responders with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: A total of 3,353 patients with AD, recruited from dermatological offices and a patient organisation, were surveyed in three cross-sectional studies.

PsoBarrier EU study: a Multicentre, Cross-sectional Survey Investigating the Quality of Psoriasis Care in Four European Countries.

Enhanced treatment options for psoriasis and growing use of guidelines increased the potential to better quality of psoriasis care in Europe. The aim of the PsoBarrier EU study is to compare the quality and processes of psoriasis care in four European countries with different healthcare systems, based on validated quality indicators. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in dermatology centres in Denmark, Germany, Poland and Spain on 1,304 patients, using standardized patient and physician questionnaires.

Development of a Specific Variant of Patient Benefit Index (PBI) Assessing Patient Needs, Goals and Benefits in Rosacea Treatment.

Introduction: Evaluation of patient-reported outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and perceived benefits from treatment has become a fundamental component of medical decision-making. Standardized evaluation of treatment benefits in rosacea based on patient preferences is still lacking.

Objective: Development and validation of an instrument for recording patient-defined benefits in rosacea therapy based on the Patient Benefit Index (PBI) methodology.

Psoriasis care in Germany: do patients who receive better care travel longer?

Background: Large variations in the quality of psoriasis care lead to patients being willing to bypass the nearest physician to receive higher quality of care. However, it remains unknown whether actual travel time is associated with quality of care. This study aimed to identify perceived quality of care determinants for travel time to the physician among patients with psoriasis in Germany.

Development and Validation Features of the Patient Benefit Index for the Treatment of Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis with Allergen Immunotherapy.

Purpose: Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) is one of the most common diseases worldwide. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only causal treatment available so far. Due to health policy provisions, the assessment of treatment benefit from the patient's perspective is of high relevance.

Determinants of costs and benefits in atopic dermatitis routine care in Germany.

Background And Objectives: The economic burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) is of particular interest. The present study aims to analyse the association of disease-related characteristics, annual costs and treatment benefits in AD.

Methods: Between August 2017 and June 2019, a cross-sectional observational study in patients with AD was conducted in Germany.

[Quality of care for patients with atopic dermatitis in Germany-no improvements in indicators after ten years].

Background: With AtopicHealth1, the first national care study on atopic dermatitis (AD) was conducted in 2010. At that time, about one third of the patients undergoing treatment by dermatologists showed severe limitations in quality of life, which indicated an insufficient quality of care. The aim of the present study was to characterise the current care of patients with AD undergoing dermatological treatment in comparison between different severity grades, as well as in comparison to 2010 and to psoriasis.

Adherence to Guideline-Oriented Preventive Measures in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in Germany.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is often associated with comorbidities and quality of life losses. The implementation of evidence-based preventive measures strengthens patient participation and offers the potential to improve quality of care for AD.

Objectives: To assess adherence to guideline-oriented preventive measures in adult patients with AD in dermatological routine care in Germany.

Quality of psoriasis care in Germany - results from the nationwide health care studies PsoHealth 2004-2017.

Background: In the study series PsoHealth first data from 2004/05 showed a poor quality of health care for psoriasis in Germany. Most patients lacked sufficient care and only a minor proportion received systemic drugs. Since 2007, a national psoriasis programme has been conducted.

Cost-of-illness of atopic dermatitis in Germany: data from dermatology routine care.

Background: Progress in the management of atopic dermatitis (AD) and the recent introduction of the first biologic have raised interest in the costs of treating AD.

Objectives: Since there is a lack of recent data, the objective of this study was to determine the annual costs of adults with AD from the societal perspective.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in 111 dermatological offices under routine conditions.

Disease burden and treatment needs of patients with psoriasis in sexually-sensitive and visible body areas: results from a large-scale survey in routine care.

Psoriasis may cause considerable disease burden. The involvement of sexually-sensitive/visible body areas has been associated with decreased quality of life (QoL), more depressive symptoms and stigmatisation experiences. To characterise the topical distribution of psoriasis in sexually-sensitive and visible areas, to examine its impact on QoL and to determine which specific patient needs should be addressed in routine care.

Sex-related impairment and patient needs/benefits in anogenital psoriasis: Difficult-to-communicate topics and their impact on patient-centred care.

Genital psoriasis affects 2-5% of psoriasis patients; generalised plaque or intertriginous psoriasis also affects the genital area in 29-40% of cases. Anogenital psoriasis has been associated with significant quality of life impairments, but little is known about specific patient needs/treatment goals. This study aimed to examine the overall and sex-related disease burden, patient needs and treatment benefits in patients with anogenital psoriasis, compared to patients with psoriasis not affecting the anal/genital areas.

Disease burden and patient needs and benefits in anogenital psoriasis: developmental specificities for person-centred healthcare of emerging adults and adults.

Background: Establishing romantic relationships involving cohabitation and/or sexual intercourse is an overriding task for many people during emerging adulthood, i.e. from their late teens through the twenties.

Characterizing treatment-related patient needs in atopic eczema: insights for personalized goal orientation.

Background: Atopic eczema (AE) is a common and burdensome chronic skin disease. Clinical guidelines suggest an evidence-based, personalized and stepwise treatment approach. Only few studies have so far focused on the specific patient needs in treatment.

Topology of psoriasis in routine care: results from high-resolution analysis of 2009 patients.

Background: Different phenotypes have been described in psoriasis. Few details are known about the topology of patients in routine care.

Objectives: To characterize the frequency and distribution of body sites affected by psoriasis in Germany.

Benefits of a membership in a psoriasis patient organisation: a quasi-experimental longitudinal study.

Background And Objectives: Patient organisations play an important role in supporting patients with chronic diseases and allow information transfer beyond professional care structures. Until now, only few studies have investigated the benefits of a dermatological patient organisation. In this study, potential benefits of joining the German Psoriasis Association (Deutscher Psoriasis Bund e.

Definition of psoriasis severity in routine clinical care: current guidelines fail to capture the complexity of long-term psoriasis management.

Background: Assessment of disease severity is an essential component of psoriasis management. Moderate-to-severe disease qualifies for systemic treatment but different definitions are used.

Objectives: To analyse the impact of different severity definitions for psoriasis in real-world healthcare.

Does the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) underestimate the disease-specific burden of psoriasis patients?

Background: The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is the most frequently used health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument for skin diseases. According to the DLQI instructions, the responses 'not relevant' and 'my skin problem has not at all affected this aspect of life' ('not at all') have to be scored as 0 = no HRQoL impairments.

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate potential bias of DLQI measurements for patients with psoriasis based on items considered to be not relevant.

Measurement of healthcare quality in atopic dermatitis - development and application of a set of quality indicators.

Background: Quality indicators are essential tools for the assessment of health care, in particular for guideline-based procedures.

Objective: Development of a set of indicators for the evaluation of process and outcomes quality in atopic dermatitis (AD) care. Application of the indicators to a cross-sectional study and creation of a global process quality index.

Cost-of-illness of psoriasis - results of a German cross-sectional study.

Background: Though psoriasis poses a substantial chronic socio-economic burden, few studies have addressed the economic impact in Germany.

Objectives: The objective was to evaluate the annual costs of psoriasis in Germany from the societal perspective.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in randomly selected German dermatology practices and clinics in 2013/2014 using standardized questionnaires of illness-related costs.