Background: Topical medications are first-line treatment for mild-to-moderate psoriasis, but adherence is low, which negatively affects patients' outcomes and quality of life. Nurses can play a central role in patient care, particularly in improving adherence.
Objectives: To explore the experience of dermatology nurses with psoriasis patients' adherence to topical drugs.
Methods: We conducted a semi-structured focus group study with 6 dermatology nurses and 2 dermatology nursing students. Participants were recruited from a dermatology hospital outpatient clinic. Data were analyzed by a systematic text condensation method with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach.
Results: Nurses experienced that factors such as social inequality, patient-centered nursing, and patients' quality of life can have an influence on adherence.
Conclusion: Optimal adherence to topical treatments is a complex exercise and is influenced by many different factors. Involving nurses when prescribing topical treatments may be beneficial since they are one of the most trustworthy professions and have a holistic view on psoriasis severity, patient preferences, health care resources available and socioeconomic factors.
Keywords: Adherence; nurses; psoriasis; topical drugs.