Department of Dermatology, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 Feb 2;48(2):112-115. doi: 10.1093/ced/llac019.
Misinformation in healthcare is at crisis level worldwide, with the internet as primary source of prevarication. Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are a safe and effective treatment used in multiple dermatological conditions. Nonadherence to prescribed TCS can be due to phobia secondary to misinformation. TCS phobia is a complex multifaceted phenomenon that exploits patients with skin disease, creates cognitive dissonance and can obstruct successful treatment. This study aimed to examine the content of TCS-related misinformation available online. A formal review of PubMed was performed using the terms 'topical corticosteroids' AND 'misinformation' OR 'disinformation' OR 'conspiracy theory, along with an informal Google search using combinations of these terms and further targeted searches on social media applications including Facebook™, Twitter™, Instagram™ and TikTok™. 'Topical steroid withdrawal', 'red skin syndrome' or 'TCS addiction' is a particularly prevalent myth currently being propagated on social media, with most content suggesting that eczema is due to a 'leaky gut' or food intolerance and not to skin inflammation. The risks of potential adverse effects such as skin thinning and stunted growth/development are often exaggerated. Multiple websites promoting misinformation were frequently endorsed by companies advertising consultations or testing to identify 'underlying causes', or 'natural' products as alternative treatments, including 'herbal' remedies, which can contain significant quantities of corticosteroids or other potent ingredients. The dermatology community should be vigilant of the type of TCS-related misinformation online and be active in attempts to counteract it with evidence-based advice.
全球范围内，医疗保健领域的错误信息处于危机水平，互联网是虚假信息的主要来源。局部皮质类固醇（TCS）是一种安全有效的治疗方法，可用于多种皮肤病。不遵守 TCS 处方可能是由于错误信息导致的恐惧症。TCS 恐惧症是一种复杂的多方面现象，它利用皮肤病患者，制造认知失调，并可能阻碍成功的治疗。本研究旨在检查互联网上 TCS 相关错误信息的内容。使用术语“局部皮质类固醇”和“错误信息”或“虚假信息”或“阴谋论”，对 PubMed 进行了正式审查，并结合这些术语进行了非正式的谷歌搜索，并在社交媒体应用程序（包括 Facebook™、Twitter™、Instagram™和 TikTok™）上进行了进一步的针对性搜索。“局部类固醇戒断”、“红色皮肤综合征”或“TCS 成瘾”是目前在社交媒体上广泛传播的一个特别流行的神话，大多数内容表明湿疹是由于“肠漏”或食物不耐受，而不是皮肤炎症。皮肤变薄和生长发育迟缓/发育不良等潜在不良反应的风险经常被夸大。多个宣传错误信息的网站经常得到宣传咨询或测试以识别“潜在原因”的公司的认可，或作为替代治疗方法的“天然”产品，包括“草药”疗法，其中可能含有大量皮质类固醇或其他有效成分。皮肤科医生应警惕在线的 TCS 相关错误信息类型，并积极尝试用基于证据的建议来对抗它。
