{"title":"Observational Study of Corticosteroid Phobia Using the TOPICOP Score among Adults and Caregivers of Children with Atopic Dermatitis in Japan.","authors":"Takeshi Nakahara, Hiroyuki Murota, Shinichi Noto, Miyuki Matsukawa, Rikiya Toda, Yasuhito Konishi, Daisaku Michikami","doi":"10.1007/s13555-025-01439-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Topical corticosteroid (TCS) phobia, which tends to interfere with the continuation of TCS treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), has not been elucidated in Japan using the topical corticosteroid phobia (TOPICOP) scale. We aimed to clarify TCS phobia among patients with AD in Japan and evaluate its relationship with AD conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This observational study, using the database of health receipt (between October 2021 and October 2022) and online questionnaire (conducted in October 2022) data, included adult respondents with and without AD and caregivers who responded to the questionnaire about their children aged ≤ 18 years, with and without AD. The TOPICOP scores measuring TCS phobia were summarized and compared according to AD severity, consultation with a doctor, and presence of AD using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model (covariates: sex and age).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 1507 adults with AD and 525 caregivers of children with AD were included. Among adults with AD, the mean TOPICOP score (± standard deviation) was 42.5 ± 18.9, while it was 41.7 ± 18.6 among caregivers of children with AD. Of the three TOPICOP domains (knowledge and beliefs, fears, and behaviors), the fear domain questions showed the highest percentage of agreement in both adults and caregivers of children with AD. In the ANCOVA models, the scores did not differ significantly according to AD severity, consultation with a doctor, or the presence of AD in adults and caregivers but significantly differed by sex and age (both p < 0.001) in adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We obtained the latest TOPICOP scores that were independent of AD conditions in Japan. Most adults and caregivers of children with AD had TCS phobia, regardless of the AD conditions. Periodic education may be required for a wide range of patients and caregivers to ease TCS phobia and enable them to continue appropriate AD treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":11186,"journal":{"name":"Dermatology and Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1851-1865"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12126417/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Dermatology and Therapy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-025-01439-6","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/5/16 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"DERMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Topical corticosteroid (TCS) phobia, which tends to interfere with the continuation of TCS treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), has not been elucidated in Japan using the topical corticosteroid phobia (TOPICOP) scale. We aimed to clarify TCS phobia among patients with AD in Japan and evaluate its relationship with AD conditions.
Methods: This observational study, using the database of health receipt (between October 2021 and October 2022) and online questionnaire (conducted in October 2022) data, included adult respondents with and without AD and caregivers who responded to the questionnaire about their children aged ≤ 18 years, with and without AD. The TOPICOP scores measuring TCS phobia were summarized and compared according to AD severity, consultation with a doctor, and presence of AD using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model (covariates: sex and age).
Results: In this study, 1507 adults with AD and 525 caregivers of children with AD were included. Among adults with AD, the mean TOPICOP score (± standard deviation) was 42.5 ± 18.9, while it was 41.7 ± 18.6 among caregivers of children with AD. Of the three TOPICOP domains (knowledge and beliefs, fears, and behaviors), the fear domain questions showed the highest percentage of agreement in both adults and caregivers of children with AD. In the ANCOVA models, the scores did not differ significantly according to AD severity, consultation with a doctor, or the presence of AD in adults and caregivers but significantly differed by sex and age (both p < 0.001) in adults.
Conclusion: We obtained the latest TOPICOP scores that were independent of AD conditions in Japan. Most adults and caregivers of children with AD had TCS phobia, regardless of the AD conditions. Periodic education may be required for a wide range of patients and caregivers to ease TCS phobia and enable them to continue appropriate AD treatment.
期刊介绍:
Dermatology and Therapy is an international, open access, peer-reviewed, rapid publication journal (peer review in 2 weeks, published 3–4 weeks from acceptance). The journal is dedicated to the publication of high-quality clinical (all phases), observational, real-world, and health outcomes research around the discovery, development, and use of dermatological therapies. Studies relating to diagnosis, pharmacoeconomics, public health and epidemiology, quality of life, and patient care, management, and education are also encouraged.
Areas of focus include, but are not limited to all clinical aspects of dermatology, such as skin pharmacology; skin development and aging; prevention, diagnosis, and management of skin disorders and melanomas; research into dermal structures and pathology; and all areas of aesthetic dermatology, including skin maintenance, dermatological surgery, and lasers.
The journal is of interest to a broad audience of pharmaceutical and healthcare professionals and publishes original research, reviews, case reports/case series, trial protocols, and short communications. Dermatology and Therapy will consider all scientifically sound research be it positive, confirmatory or negative data. Submissions are welcomed whether they relate to an International and/or a country-specific audience, something that is crucially important when researchers are trying to target more specific patient populations. This inclusive approach allows the journal to assist in the dissemination of quality research, which may be considered of insufficient interest by other journals. The journal appeals to a global audience and receives submissions from all over the world.