Do Medication Beliefs Influence Adherence to Topical Therapies in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis?

ABSTRACT Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting 10–20% of the global population and is characterized by red, itchy, and dry skin. While consistent medication adherence is necessary for adequate management of AD, patients' adherence to topical therapies can decline by 70% within initial days of treatment, leading to increased risks of acute flare episodes. Objectives This study aims to explore the association between medication beliefs among patients with AD and their adherence to topical therapies. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a tertiary‐level dermatology ambulatory care center for eligible patients with AD. A structured survey questionnaire assessed the patients' medication beliefs using Beliefs about Medication Questionnaire (BMQ) that includes BMQ‐Specific and BMQ‐General subscales. Their medication adherence to different topical therapies were assessed using the five‐item Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS‐5). Results A total of 386 patients with AD completed the survey (88.5% response rate). These patients exhibited significantly different adherence levels to different topical therapies ( p < 0.001), namely topical corticosteroids (TCS) [adherent 35.1%, non‐adherent 64.9%], topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCI) [adherent 51.1%, non‐adherent 48.9%], emollient therapy [adherent 56.7%, non‐adherent 43.3%], and topical anti‐itch therapy [adherent 53.2%, non‐adherent 46.8%]. Patients' medication beliefs were significantly associated with their adherence to TCS, TCI, and emollient therapy. Sociodemographic and health‐related factors, namely age, education level, perceived AD severity, and medication tool usage, were significantly associated with patients' topical therapy adherence. Conclusions Topical medication adherence of patients with AD was significantly associated with their medication beliefs of the different topical therapies, as well as their sociodemographic characteristics and health‐related factors.