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Park: Status of clinical practice on diagnosis and management of atopic dermatitis in Korea: a questionnaire survey of physicians
Original Article

Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2013; 1(3): 257-265.

Published online: 30 September 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2013.1.3.257

Status of clinical practice on diagnosis and management of atopic dermatitis in Korea: a questionnaire survey of physicians

Yang Park

Department of Pediatrics, Wonkwang University Sanbon Hospital, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Gunpo, Korea.

Correspondence to: Yang Park. Department of Pediatrics, Wonkwang University Sanbon Hospital, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, 327 Sanbon-ro, Gunpo 435-040, Korea. Tel: +82-31-390-2989, Fax: +82-031-390-2989, pyallergy@gmail.com

Received 17 April 2013       Revised 1 August 2013       Accepted 5 August 2013

© 2013 The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease; The Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).

Abstract

Purpose

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) has been increasing in many developed countries including Korea. There has been little information on the status of real clinical practice for atopic dermatitis by physicians in Korea.

Methods

This study investigated the current status of clinical practice on allergy test and treatment of AD in Korea by analyzing a questionnaire survey of 155 physicians who attended the educational program for practical management of AD by the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The questionnaire was mainly composed of 20 items regarding diagnosis, treatment of AD.

Results

Among the 155 physicians who completed the questionnaire survey, most of subjects (90%) agreed that allergy test was necessary, but only 68% performed allergy test in their practice for AD. The barriers to allergy testing were lack of test personnel or facilities (61%), disbelief on the clinical importance of allergy test in the treatment (41%), and difficulty in explanation about the test results to patients (16%). Problems interfering the active treatment of patients with AD were the difficulty in acquiring a sufficient time for education and explanation about treatment (54%), incomplete clinical efficacy of current medication and concern on the side effects (41%), and the difficulty in establishing a good doctor-patient relationship (40%).

Conclusion

There are difficulties of physicians in the active management of AD in Korea. To solve current difficulties, changes in medical system to encourage the physicians' effort for active clinical practice for patients with AD and education for physicians are needed.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis, Questionnaire survey, Physician

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
The purpose of performing allergy tests in patients with atopic dermatitis.
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Fig. 2
Reasons for not performing allergy tests in patients with atopic dermatitis.
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Fig. 3
Current treatment methods applied in patients with mild atopic dermatitis.
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Fig. 4
Current treatment methods applied in patients with severe atopic dermatitis.
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Fig. 5
Reasons for not performing active treatment for patients with atopic dermatitis. A, difficulty in acquiring a sufficient time for education and explanation about treatment; B, Incomplete clinical efficacy of current medication and concern on the side effects; C, Difficulty in establishing a good doctor-patient relationship; D, Only current standard drug treatment in not effective enough; E, Despite active therapy, the treatment of income less.
aard-1-257-g005
Table 1
Demographic characteristics of participants on the questionnaire survey (n=155)
aard-1-257-i001

*Among the patients with atopic dermatitis visiting clinic.

Table 2
The difference between the allergy test necessity recognition and actual test performance in primary medical institution and secondary, tertiary medical institution
aard-1-257-i002

Values are presented as number (%)

Table 3
Reasons for currents difficulties in practicing active treatment for atopic dermatitis raised by practical physicians
aard-1-257-i003
Table 4
Author's suggestions to solve the problem for atopic dermatitis
aard-1-257-i004

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