Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin condition and is undertreated in children under 2 years, whom there are no specific guidelines for. We sought to understand barriers to AD treatment and primary care pediatricians’ (PCPs) suggested solutions. We conducted semi-structured focus groups (n = 5) with PCPs (n = 17) on how the undertreatment of AD can be addressed. Data were analyzed using an inductive qualitative approach. Participants noted that the perceived undertreatment of AD in children under 2 years could be explained by topical corticosteroid (TCS) use hesitancy, lack of caregiver adherence to PCP recommendations, and under-documentation of AD in the electronic medical record (EMR). Proposed suggestions for improving AD management included caregiver and PCP education on TCS safety; stepwise management guidelines for this age group; and EMR aids to help document and manage AD. Research is warranted to create and disseminate clinician-friendly AD management guidelines for this age group.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1176-1185 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Clinical pediatrics |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2023 |
Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The project was supported by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Grant Number UL1TR001422 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Clinical and Translational Sciences Award. The funder had no role in the design and conduct of this study.
Keywords
- atopic dermatitis
- eczema
- focus groups
- physicians’ practice patterns
- primary health care
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
