Evaluation of a parental training program for the management of childhood atopic dermatitis. [Direct versus video-aided parent education in atopic eczema in childhood as a supplement to specialty physician treatment. A controlled pilot study]. Age related, structured educational programmes for the management of atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents: multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Randomized controlled trial of a single dermatology nurse consultation in primary care on the quality of life of children with atopic eczema.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) in childhood is a common disease with prevalence rates as high as 20%. Its early onset in infancy and its chronic relapsing course puts a special burden on families. Supporting parents in dealing with the management of AD presents a challenge for physicians. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a structured parental training program on managing AD in children. Two-hundred and four families participated in a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Children (5 months to 12 years in age) had suffered from moderate-to-severe AD for at least 4 months. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or a waiting, control group who could participate in the training program 1 year later. The intervention was an inter-disciplinary, structured educational program which covered medical, nutritional, and psychological issues in six group sessions of 2 h each. The families were assessed at the beginning of the study and 1 year later. Main outcome measures were: severity of eczema (SCORAD); treatment habits; treatment costs; quality of life; and coping strategies. Significant effects were shown regarding treatment behavior, such as regular use of emollients, use of antiseptics and topical steroids in the event of exacerbation, and a reduction in the use of unconventional therapies. Satisfaction with medical treatment was improved, and rumination as an ineffective coping strategy was reduced. Finally, significant reduction of treatment costs was achieved. We conclude that structured training programs for parents of children with AD is a helpful adjunct to dermatological treatment. Psychological problems in children and parents related to children's atopic eczema (AE) may impede the success of treatment. We studied the question, if behavior-based parental education in groups (DPE) or standardized video-education (VPE) could enhance dermatological treatment effects and reduce skin-damaging behaviors in children and stress in their mothers.
                47 mothers attending the university outpatient-clinic for dermatology and their AE-children (mean age 4 years) participated in the study. 18 mothers underwent the DPE (10 sessions), 15 mothers worked with VPE at home. Dermatological standard treatment (CG; N = 14) served as control for a 16-weeks-evaluation-period.
                AE-symptoms improved overall, but the effectiveness of the treatments differed significantly, improval with parent education and was best with VPE. Psychological problems of mothers were equally reduced with DPE and VPE.
                It is suggested that VPE is a cost effective and less time consuming method for supporting dermatological therapy of AE in children. To determine the effects of age related, structured educational programmes on the management of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in childhood and adolescence.
                Multicentre, randomised controlled trial.
                Seven hospitals in Germany.
                Parents of children with atopic dermatitis aged 3 months to 7 years (n = 274) and 8-12 years (n = 102), adolescents with atopic dermatitis aged 13-18 years (n = 70), and controls (n = 244, n = 83, and n = 50, respectively).
                Group sessions of standardised intervention programmes for atopic dermatitis once weekly for six weeks or no education (control group).
                Severity of eczema (scoring of atopic dermatitis scale), subjective severity (standardised questionnaires), and quality of life for parents of affected children aged less than 13 years, over 12 months.
                Significant improvements in severity of eczema and subjective severity were seen in all intervention groups compared with control groups (total score for severity: age 3 months to 7 years - 17.5, 95% confidence intervals - 19.6 to - 15.3 v - 12.2, - 14.3 to - 10.1; age 8-12 years - 16.0, - 20.0 to - 12.0 v - 7.8, - 11.4; - 4.3; and age 13-18 years - 19.7, - 23.7 to - 15.7 v - 5.2, - 10.5 to 0.1). Parents of affected children aged less than 7 years experienced significantly better improvement in all five quality of life subscales, whereas parents of affected children aged 8-12 years experienced significantly better improvement in three of five quality of life subscales.
                Age related educational programmes for the control of atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents are effective in the long term management of the disease. Atopic eczema is mostly managed in primary care but there is often insufficient time for patient education; a nurse practitioner could help with this.
                To evaluate the effects of a single consultation with a primary care nurse on the quality of life (QOL) of children with atopic eczema aged 0.5-16 years and the impact of the disease on their families.
                Children with eczema were invited to join the trial. Volunteers were randomized to a control group or an intervention group who attended the nurse for a single 30-min session. Family impact was determined using the Family Dermatitis Index (FDI), and QOL was assessed using the Infant Dermatitis Quality of Life questionnaire (IDQOL) or, in children aged 4-16 years, the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). Baseline scores for family impact and QOL were compared with those at 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-intervention.
                Two hundred and thirty-five children were recruited over 12 months; 115 were aged 0.5-4 years and 120 were aged 4-16 years. Follow-up data were missing for 38 children (84% completion rate, n = 197). All measures of QOL or family impact at baseline were skewed. The median scores were IDQOL, 5, and CDLQI, 6. About 20% of children had zero scores for the FDI (no impact on family life); median FDI scores were 2 or 3. At baseline the FDI correlated with the IDQOL or CDLQI. In addition, the FDI and IDQOL were related to parental assessment of disease severity. Non-responders had, on average, worse QOL at baseline than those who provided complete data. In the children with complete data, the mean differences in CD < Q1 and 1DQO< scores between intervention and control children were small at 4 and 12 weeks (P > 0.05). The improvement in FDI at 4 weeks was slightly better in intervention than control children (P < 0.06).
                The impact on QOL of a single intervention by a dermatology nurse was marginal for family impact at 4 weeks and was not apparent for other measures, either in the short or longer term. The planned sample size was derived from data in hospital patients but in our population disease activity was milder and the effects on QOL were less. On this account the present study was of low statistical power for some measures. Further studies in larger populations using additional outcome measures are required before advocating the wider introduction of nurse specialists.
A lack of rigorously designed trials (excluding one recent German study) provides only limited evidence of the effectiveness of educational and psychological interventions in helping to manage the condition of children with atopic eczema. Evidence from included studies and also adult studies indicates that different service delivery models (multi-professional eczema school and nurse-led clinics) require further and comparative evaluation to examine their cost-effectiveness and suitability for different health systems.