Psoriasis is a challenging disease where therapeutic patient education (TPE) and self-management support (SMS) represent valuable tools to improve effective care amongst patients. However, the availability thereof in daily clinical practice is limited. Here, we aimed to understand this availability; to this end we interviewed healthcare professionals who offered such tools in their practice. Interviews were transcribed and examined according to basic thematic content analysis. A total of 8 interviews was conducted, with interviewees from different countries. We identified various themes, including non-medicinal needs, organization, barriers and facilitators. Remarkably, interviewees from both high and low-middle income countries pointed towards non-medicinal needs as the main incentive to offer TPE/SMS tools leading to the following paradox: despite the availability of efficacious treatments, psychosocial issues still needed to be addressed; whereas the lack of efficacious treatments forced interviewees to focus on such issues. The tools differed in their accessibility in time, delivery modes and target populations, but all were reported to be multidisciplinary – although the level varied. Furthermore, aims differed greatly: some aimed to induce behavioral change whereas others acted as an information and/or training platform. Lastly, a major facilitators was the ‘in-house support’ from hospitals, e.g. through access to consultations or meeting rooms, whilst one of the major barriers was the lack of financial support (e.g. dependency on external competitive funding sources). However, efficacy remains uncertain and therefore poses the highest priority to be studied to ensure the best tools are available. This qualitative study provides insight into TPE/SMS tools for psoriasis patients across the world and its availability determinants which may guide future tool development and accessibility.

Mapping the global landscape of therapeutic patient education and self-management support programs in psoriasis: a qualitative study