Effectiveness of atopic dermatitis patient education programs – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Patient education in atopic dermatitis (AD) has worked in parallel to the gold standard of pharmacological treatment as a foundational component of therapeutic regimens. In addition to improving patient education, past investigations of educational interventions have demonstrated profound reductions in disease severity for patients living with AD. However, prior meta-analytical work has focused mostly on comparing in-person interventions, and thus the need to determine the effectiveness of virtual methodologies in the current post-COVID era remains. In this study, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine the effectiveness of online programming in AD education compared to in-person interventions. A comprehensive search was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 2019. Studies were retrieved based on articles published up to 04 April 2023. Adherence to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement guided the reportage process for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The primary outcome of our meta-analysis was the effect of various educational modalities on atopic dermatitis severity as measured by multiple scales across the studies, the most common including SCORAD, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI). Most studies were randomized controlled trials, primarily from North America and Western Europe and focused on patient and/or caregiver education about disease management, self-care techniques, avoidance of triggers, and comprehensive understanding of the disease process. Our pooled analyses showed that targeted educational programs in understudied adult populations can be as impactful as those in pediatric groups. Moreover, virtual interventions can be employed as constructive tools for reducing barriers of access to patient education. Future research on educational interventions should utilize various methodologies to encourage individual learning preferences with a focus on adult cohorts.