Assessing comorbidities, quality of life, and the needs of patients with psoriasis and eczema at each consultation; can their needs be assessed and met online?

Background: Research showed that patients with psoriasis and eczema often suffer from comorbidities and their needs are not always assessed or met. Objective: The objective of the study was to develop an assessment tool to address the needs, comorbidities, and feedback of patients with psoriasis and eczema and to obtain their view on using the tool. Methods: A mixed-method research included a quantitative (postal survey) and a qualitative (face-to-face interview) to capture patients’ opinions and feedback. Results: In the postal survey, the majority (95%) of the participants reported physical, metabolic, and psychological comorbidities. Almost 30% of them stated that they could not cope with their chronic skin disease and 10.5% had depression and suicidal thoughts. Around 24% of them expressed the need for support at home and 14% asked for support at work. All the interviewed participants agreed that the regular use of the study tool can address their needs and enhance their competence to self-manage their illness. Conclusions: The new study tool disclosed heterogeneous information on patients’ needs, management barriers, and comorbidities. Regular use of the tool at each consultation was welcomed by all the interviewed participants as it can fill important gaps in their management and in service improvement.