UK (CU)_ Underdiagnosis is pressing issue in the medical sector across the world where many conditions underdiagnosed, can often lead to the worsening of conditions due to the inability of the specific medications according to the patient’s condition to be delivered, which in some cases be fatal.
A new study has indicated that psoriasis maybe underdiagnosed by British medical establishments.
The study was led by the University of Manchester, together with the Global Psoriasis Atlas, International Federation of Psoriasis Associations, International League of Dermatological Societies and the International Psoriasis Council.
Published in the British Journal of General Practice, the results indicate that diagnosis is often missed and doctors are already aware of how both late diagnosis and commencement of treatment are linked to the poorer outcomes for patients.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition which often manifests itself with flakey skin and is linked to a variety of conditions such as stress, genetic factors, smoking, alcohol, dry conditions and many more.
Most individual often seek initial treatment from general practitioners rather than dermatologists for psoriasis. The late diagnosis of psoriasis finds the individual two times likely to be prescribed steroid or antifungal creams in comparison to those without psoriasis, often hiding the symptoms of psoriasis and further delays in its identification.
PhD student, Maha Abo-Tabik who was the lead author stated that initial diagnosis improving treatment was well established, hence there was a need to roll out extra dermatology training for primary care providers to enhance their psoriasis diagnostic skills, which was the need of the hour.
The study was carried out by comparing the clinical diagnosis and treatment of people with psoriasis and those without it. A detailed analysis was then conducted with health records from more than 700 general practices between 2010 and 2017 from all over Britain.
Patients with psoriasis were 8 times more likely in comparison to those without it to be diagnosed with pityriasis rosea, a skin condition occurring 6 months prior to the diagnosis of psoriasis was found.
