title: Phototherapy utilization for psoriasis is declining in the United States.
abstract: Phototherapy is an established treatment modality for psoriasis. The use of phototherapy for psoriasis appears to be in decline in nonfederal and non-university-based settings. We used data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to estimate the number of visits for phototherapy and psoralen ultraviolet A-range (PUVA) light therapy from 1993 to 1998. There were 873,000 visits for UV light therapy in 1993-1994, 189,000 in 1995-1996, and 53,000 in 1997-1998 (P <.0001). There were 175,000 psoralen visits in 1993-1994, 61,000 in 1995-1996, and 25,000 in 1997-1998 (P =.0053). Similar decreases in phototherapy visits occurred in our university-based practice. The decline in phototherapy represents decreased utilization of a safe and effective treatment for psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Bristol-Myers Squibb Center for Dermatology Research, and Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1071, USA.
authors.forename: Tamara Salam
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Housman
authors.forename: Janelle M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rohrback
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States