Pain associated with psoriasis: a qualitative study

Background: Pain is a major factor in the psychosocial impact of psoriasis. There is a paucity of qualitative reports of dermatologists' views on psoriasis-related pain.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the views of dermatologists on the presence and importance of pain associated with psoriasis.

Methods: This qualitative study, based on semi-structured interviews, included dermatologists from different cities working in the hospital and private sector in Croatia between May and July, 2022. We collected demographic and occupational data on participants and information about their experiences and attitudes toward psoriasis-related pain. Data were analysed by applying interpretative descriptive and thematic analysis using the 4-stage method for systematic text condensation.

Results: We included 19 dermatologists, all women, aged 38 (range: 31 to 63 years). Most dermatologists acknowledged the presence of pain in patients with psoriasis. They indicated that they sometimes do not sufficiently address this pain in daily practice. Some indicated that pain was a neglected symptom in psoriasis, while for others it was not crucial. Most indicated that it is necessary to focus more on psoriasis-related pain in clinical practice, to disambiguate between skin pain and joint pain in psoriatic conditions, and to better educate family physicians about psoriasis-related pain. They emphasized the importance of considering pain during psoriatic patient assessment and management. Further research on psoriasis-related pain was suggested.

Conclusions: More emphasis is needed on psoriasis-related pain for effective management of psoriasis, informing decision-making in the context of patient-centric care and improving the quality of life in patients with psoriasis.