Researchers from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have found that over a quarter of patients with acne don't use the medications they were prescribed.
In a study published in the journal JAMA Dermatology, researchers worked with 143 subjects, all acne patients. According to the results of a survey, up to 27 percent of study participants did not obtain the medications they need, whether they were advised to use prescription drugs or over-the-counter treatment.
At the same time, those who had to use more than one medication were the likeliest to not adhere to their prescribed treatment plan, with 41 percent of those advised to use two medications and 31 percent of those tasked with using at least three medications failing to comply. Sometimes, multiple medications are advised to treat multiple factors causing acne.
"Non-adherence is a pervasive problem in all of medicine, particularly when treating chronic conditions such as acne," said Steven Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatology professor from Wake Forest Baptist and the lead author for the study.
A previous study had reported that non-adherence rates were at 10 percent for acne patients so researchers were surprised to find out that their results pointed to a bigger figure. They also discovered that topical medication prescriptions were less likelier to be filled compared to oral drugs. OTC medications were also less likely to be purchased than their prescription counterparts, while acne patients are likelier to fill electronic prescriptions than paper ones.
Researchers did not actively design the study to determine reasons why patient are not sticking with their prescribed medication but subjects volunteered explanations. Some of the most common reasons why acne prescriptions are not filled include: cost; having similar medication at home; forgetfulness; not agreeing with prescribed treatment; and an improvement in skin condition.
Aside from taking note of these factors to help understand their patients better and boost adherence to prescribed medication, dermatologists are also advised by researchers to prescribe treatment using one medication with at least two active ingredients to address more than one factor at a time. Based on the results, after all, a patient is likelier to use prescribed treatment when just one medication is needed.
Galderma Laboratories, LP supports the Wake Forest Baptist Center for Dermatology Research with an unrestricted educational grant. Other authors for the study include: Emily Dothard, B.S., Kathryn Anderson, B.S. and William Huang, M.D., M.P.H.
In the United States, acne is the most common skin disorder, affecting between 40 and 50 million Americans.
Photo: Caitlyn Regan | Flickr
