Erbas Mert Ege, Ziehfreund Stefanie, Biedermann Tilo, Zink Alexander
Department of Dermatology and Allergy, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802, Munich, Germany.
Division of Dermatology and Venerology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Sep 9;25(1):3041. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24401-9.
Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, imposes a high burden on those affected, often leading to stigma and increased depression risk. With the increasing importance of digital media in medical contexts, there is a notable prevalence of misinformation and low-quality content. This study aims to explore the experiences of individuals affected by psoriasis regarding their disease-related digital media use.
Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with psoriasis-affected people between August 2020 and January 2022 in Germany. The participants were recruited through digital media platforms, professional contacts, and in person at a university hospital department in southern Germany and were interviewed via video call. The recorded data was pseudonymized, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis by Mayring which also allowed a quantitative evaluation of the category placements.
Eight participants (50% female) with a median age of 40.5 years (range: 25-80 years) were included. Four main categories emerged: (1) strengths and (2) difficulties of digital media in the context of psoriasis, (3) digital media in the context of the physician-patient relationship, and (4) suggestions for improvement. Commonly mentioned strengths were the positive impact on one's well-being and the access to alternative therapy options. Frequently named problems were qualitative shortcomings and commercial interests. Most participants reported that digital media was not addressed in the physician-patient communication. Nevertheless, instances where it was discussed revealed predominantly negative reactions from physicians. Participants desired an increased availability of online resources and enhanced cooperation between digital media platforms and physicians.
This study underscores the opportunities and challenges presented by digital media in managing psoriasis. Physicians should ensure that their patients access reliable platforms. Collaboration between physicians and affected individuals on digital media and adapting the traditional physician-patient relationship to an increasingly digitalized world are suggested to enhance patient care.
银屑病是一种慢性炎症性皮肤病，给患者带来沉重负担，常导致耻辱感并增加抑郁风险。随着数字媒体在医疗领域的重要性日益增加，错误信息和低质量内容的现象显著普遍。本研究旨在探讨银屑病患者在使用与疾病相关的数字媒体方面的经历。
2020年8月至2022年1月期间，在德国对银屑病患者进行了开放式半结构化访谈。参与者通过数字媒体平台、专业联系人以及在德国南部一家大学医院科室亲自招募，并通过视频通话进行访谈。记录的数据进行了化名处理，逐字转录，并采用Mayring的定性内容分析法进行分析，该方法还允许对类别定位进行定量评估。
纳入了8名参与者（50%为女性），中位年龄为40.5岁（范围：25 - 80岁）。出现了四个主要类别：（1）数字媒体在银屑病背景下的优势，（2）困难，（3）医患关系背景下的数字媒体，以及（4）改进建议。常见的优势包括对幸福感的积极影响以及获得替代治疗选择的途径。经常提到的问题是质量缺陷和商业利益。大多数参与者报告说，医患沟通中未涉及数字媒体。然而，讨论数字媒体的情况显示，医生的反应主要为负面。参与者希望增加在线资源的可用性，并加强数字媒体平台与医生之间的合作。
本研究强调了数字媒体在银屑病管理中带来的机遇和挑战。医生应确保患者能够访问可靠的平台。建议医生与受影响个体在数字媒体上开展合作，并使传统的医患关系适应日益数字化的世界，以提高患者护理水平。
