OBJECTIVES: Understanding what matters to patients may assist with targeting treatments and improving outcomes. Surveys conducted among patients with psoriasis have aided our understanding of patient burden. However, variations in themes and geographies represented may limit the validity and reliability of the findings. The objective of this research was to review the patient survey literature to identify key themes and determine geographic variations, to better our understanding of issues that matter to patients with psoriasis.
METHODS: A review of surveys of patient perceptions in psoriasis, published since 2005 and indexed in PubMed, Embase, or the Cochrane Library, was conducted. Surveys conducted in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America were identified. Of the 1,095 abstracts identified, 109 were selected for full-text review; of these, 65 were included for data extraction. To facilitate data synthesis, topics were categorized into themes and geographies.
RESULTS: Of the 65 studies reviewed, most were conducted in North America (n = 28; 43%) and Europe (n = 25; 38.5%). While surveys covered multiple themes, the most frequent themes reported in patient surveys related to treatment pathways and satisfaction (n= 55; 85%), the disease burden based on symptoms, emotional impacts and relationships (n= 34; 52%), followed by work and finances (n= 25; 23%). Less than 10% of studies explored epidemiology, economic issues, and interactions with the health care system.
CONCLUSIONS: Patient surveys in psoriasis demonstrate that the disease impacts the patients beyond managing the physical symptoms to affecting other aspects of life including work and relationships. Limited information exists on patient perceptions of psoriasis and treatment preferences outside the United States or Europe.
