title: The Relationship Between Dermatologist- and Patient-Reported Acne Severity Measures and Treatment Recommendations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acne treatment recommendations for individual patients may be derived from multiple factors including dermatologist- and patient-reported constructs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of dermatologist- and patient-reported measures on acne treatment recommendations by dermatologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational cross-sectional survey of acne patients was conducted with patient-reported quality of life and dermatologist-reported measures of primary and secondary (scar) acne severity using 3 assessment approaches: maximal regional grade, total grade, and facial grade.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most highly associated factors with acne treatment recommendations were patient emotions, maximal regional acne severity, and total acne scar grade. Better acne-specific quality of life was negatively related to acne treatment recommendation intensity, while all 3 grading approaches were positively related to acne treatment recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For dermatologists, overall acne severity is most highly associated with maximal regional acne grade, total scar grade, and patient's emotional response to acne.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada jerrytan@bellnet.ca.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knezevic
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu de Québec and Centre de Recherche Dermatologique du Québec métropolitain, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poulin
authors.affiliation: Lynde Dermatology, Markham, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lynde
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NF, Canada.
authors.forename: Wayne P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Gulliver
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Aditya K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Rolf J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sebaldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, Oakville, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sapra
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: acne; dermatology