Recent findings indicate that significant barriers and disparities related to race, older age, socioeconomic status, cost, insurance, rural residence, and knowledge insufficiencies can limit access to biologic therapies for patients with psoriasis. The investigators emphasized the importance of identifying these barriers, particularly for biologic-naïve patients, noting that 59% of insured patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis had not received treatment in the prior year, according to the 2017 US National Health and Wellness Survey.
The research team conducted a scoping review, analyzing data from databases like Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science up to March 2023. They included studies that evaluated the beliefs and viewpoints of individuals with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who had not used biologic treatments and assessed perspectives among healthcare providers prescribing these therapies. The review identified barriers such as specialist shortages, lack of awareness among healthcare practitioners, patient discrimination, lack of standardized diagnostic tools, and high biologic therapy costs. These findings underline the impact of demographic factors and knowledge gaps on access to biologics for patients with psoriasis.
Reference: Smith T. Study Highlights Barriers in Access to Biologics Among Psoriasis Patients. HCPLive. Published June 28, 2024. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.hcplive.com/view/study-highlights-barriers-access-biologics-among-psoriasis-patients
Link: https://www.hcplive.com/view/study-highlights-barriers-access-biologics-among-psoriasis-patients
