Uncovering the unmet needs among psoriasis patients in the Asia‐Pacific region

Abstract

Studies on the psychosocial and emotional burden of psoriasis have been extensive; however, there is limited knowledge and awareness of patients’ attitude and behavior towards psoriasis treatment. To understand psoriasis patients’ attitude and behavior towards treatment of psoriasis, especially those treated with biologics, a multi‐stage study qualitative and quantitative methodology was conducted among psoriasis patients. An online survey was conducted with 45 moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis patients each in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan for 20 min. This was followed by qualitative in‐depth interviews conducted among psoriasis patients in Australia (n = 3) and Japan (n = 2) for 60 min. All of the findings were workshopped with key opinion leaders and patient advisory groups to identify potential solutions addressing patients’ unmet needs. Five common insights were identified across the region, highlighting patients’ attitude and behavior towards psoriasis treatment, especially for those treated with biologics. These insights comprised the following: (i) one of the key factors driving patients’ treatment choice included their ability to enjoy clear skin for longer period (68%); (ii) bio‐maintenance patients had a higher expectation (4.9 months) of how long their skin could stay clear, compared to their pre‐biologics initiation days (2.9 months); (iii) once a good response is achieved, bio‐maintenance patients were more concerned about symptoms returning (44%) than development of side‐effects (19%); (iv) bio‐maintenance patients felt psychologically and physically affected during flare‐ups despite being on more efficacious treatment; and (v) bio‐maintenance patients still felt they were at risk of flare‐ups (4.5/7), almost similar risk perception as non‐biologics patients (4.9/7). Findings from this study showed that psoriasis patients look for treatment with the least risk of flare‐ups so that they were able to enjoy clear skin for a long time.

Effectiveness and Safety of Secukinumab for Psoriasis in a Real-World Clinical Setting in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regions: Results from the REALIA Study

“…Psoriasis affects 2–4% of the adult population in Western countries, with a worldwide prevalence ranging from 0.91% to 8.5% [ 1 – 3 ]. Estimated prevalence of psoriasis is 2.3–6.6% in Australia, 0.24% in Taiwan and 0.45% in South Korea [ 4 ]. In Middle East countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, the estimated prevalence of psoriasis in the overall population ranges from 0.40% to 0.58% [ 5 ].…”

Adverse events associated with anti-IL-17 agents for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic scoping review

“…A survey study showed that the top treatment needs of patients with psoriasis in the Asia-Pacific region were long-term remission and reduced recurrence. In this region, 68% of patients with psoriasis believe that the rapid clearance of skin lesions is the key to psoriasis treatment options ( 71 ). Similarly, the 2018 edition of the Chinese Psoriasis Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines considers the prevention of recurrence as an important goal of psoriasis treatment and emphasizes that reducing disease progression and recurrence and improving quality of life are crucial for patients ( 72 ).…”

Australian consensus: Treatment goals for moderate to severe psoriasis in the era of targeted therapies – Adult patients

“…The residual minimal disease can still substantially impact HR‐QOL 38 . The extent of this psychological distress is often under‐recognised 39 and far‐reaching 40 . Relying only on PASI could therefore result in misalignment between physician‐reported and patient‐reported severity.…”

“…38 The extent of this psychological distress is often under-recognised 39 and far-reaching. 40 Relying only on PASI could therefore result in misalignment between physician-reported and patient-reported severity. Australian data highlights the importance of addressing the spectrum of physical and psychological manifestations associated with psoriasis.…”