A qualitative study of psychological impact and drug therapy problems among undergraduates living with acne in Lagos, Nigeria

Acne, a common and chronic skin disorder mainly affecting young people, and primarily targets the face, has significant public health implications. Its negative impact on sufferers often leads to desperation and the pursuit of various treatment options resulting to the misuse or inappropriate use of medications and products. This study explored students’ experiences living with acne, assessed its psychological impact, examined management choices, and identified potential drug therapy problems. This was a qualitative descriptive study conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for reporting Qualitative Research. The study was conducted through in-depth interview of twelve students from the College of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, recruited purposively. The students were interviewed with a pretested interview guide. Transcription was conducted verbatim using respondents’ exact words. Two authors independently coded the data using respondents’ words, followed by debriefing, and thematic analysis was undertaken to identify themes and categories. Five key themes emerged: acne onset, management approaches, information sources, adverse reactions, and the impact of living with acne. Findings revealed students’ desperation to try any available solution, leading to actual drug therapy problems, including unnecessary medications/products, adverse reactions, and treatments with no clear indication. Additionally, acne affected respondents psychologically, socially, and financially. The findings suggest that many management options reported in the study were inappropriate, represented by unnecessary, ineffective and harmful drugs/products, and may have contributed to actual drug therapy problems. Acne had financial and psychological impacts on the students.