title: Evaluating practice patterns for managing moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: role of the family physician.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe practice patterns for care of Canadian patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Online survey of a consumer panel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were drawn from a population-wide Canadian consumer database.
  
  
  METHODS
  To be eligible to participate, respondents had to have been diagnosed with plaque psoriasis within the past 5 years, and to have had body surface area involvement of 3% or greater in the past 5 years, or to have psoriasis on a sensitive area of the body (hands, feet, scalp, face, or genitals), or to be currently receiving treatment with systemic agents or phototherapy for psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of respondents with psoriasis managed by FPs and other specialists, psoriasis therapies, comorbidities, and patient satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Invitations were sent to 3845 panelists with self-reported psoriasis, of which 514 qualified to complete the survey. Family physicians were reported to be the primary providers for diagnosis and ongoing care of psoriasis in all provinces except Quebec. Overall physician care was reported to be satisfactory by 62% of respondents. Most respondents receiving over-the-counter therapies (55%) or prescribed topical therapies (61%) reported that their psoriasis was managed by FPs. Respondents receiving prescription oral or injectable medications or phototherapy were mainly managed by dermatologists (42%, 74%, and 71% of respondents, respectively). Ongoing management of respondents with body surface area involvement of 10% or greater was mainly split between dermatologists (47%) and FPs (45%), compared with rheumatologists (4%) or other health care professionals (4%). Of those respondents receiving medications for concomitant health conditions, treatment for high blood pressure was most common (92%), followed by treatment for heart disease (75%) and elevated cholesterol and lipid levels (68%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient-reported practice patterns for the diagnosis and management of moderate to severe psoriasis vary among provinces and in primary and secondary care settings.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Dermatologique du Québec métropolitain, 105-2880 chemin Quatre-Bourgeois, Quebec, QC, Canada. poulinyves@videotron.ca
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poulin
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wasel
authors.forename: Daphne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Geula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fraquelli
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papp
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003880:Dermatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010819:Physician's Role; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data