Training for prescribing in-office and home phototherapy.
OBJECTIVE
One reason phototherapy use is lacking in the United States may be inadequate phototherapy education during dermatology training. The purpose of this study was to estimate the level of dermatology resident training with prescribing phototherapy and to see whether inadequate education may be contributing to the underuse of phototherapy in the United States.


METHODS
A questionnaire was developed to assess resident education and comfort with prescribing phototherapy from the resident perspective. Botulinum toxin and radiation therapy training were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Responses were tabulated and comparisons made using Fisher's exact test and Cochran-Armitage trend test.


RESULTS
A total of 88 residents responded. 42% and 81% of respondents reported not receiving didactic education on prescribing in-office and home phototherapy, respectively, compared to 13% for botulinum toxin and 91% for radiation therapy. 29% and 76% reported not being comfortable prescribing in-office and home phototherapy, respectively, compared to 36% for botulinum toxin and 91% for radiation therapy. Phototherapy education satisfaction was positively correlated with comfort of prescribing, and comfort prescribing was positively correlated with actual prescribing of phototherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Training for prescribing phototherapy is lacking. Augmenting phototherapy training may help make home phototherapy more accessible for patients.
Department of Dermatology, Center for Dermatology Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Kathryn L
KL
Anderson
Department of Dermatology, Center for Dermatology Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Karen E
KE
Huang
Department of Dermatology, Center for Dermatology Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
William W
WW
Huang
Department of Dermatology, Center for Dermatology Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.|Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.|Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Steven R
SR
Feldman
D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D009819:Office Visits; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012648:Self Care; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
D001905:Botulinum Toxins
UVB; education; light therapy