There exists a link between self-management-competency and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) health burden, according to a study published in The Journal of Dermatologic Treatment.
Researchers of this study sought to highlight “the relevance of self-management-competency as a new therapeutic target” in HS. To conduct this analysis, they assessed 258 patients with HS from the ‘Epidemiology and Care in Acne inversa (EpiCAi) project. Subsequently, they measured disease burden using patient-rated questionnaires which analyzed disease activity, pain, quality of life, depression and insomnia and correlated with the domains of the health education impact questionnaire (heiQ) measuring self-management-competency.
The study found disease burden was impacted by self-management-competency, suggesting that HS patients need to improve constructive attitudes and approaches and decrease emotional distress. “There is a clear association of self-management-competency with overall disease burden, which underlines the need for psychoeducational support. This study provides ideas to develop new possible strategies of care,” the researchers concluded.
