Identifying disparities in phototherapy dosing and research participation among patients with psoriasis by race, ethnicity, and skin phototype: Findings from the light treatment effectiveness study
Recommended Citation
Song WB, Bishop B, Fitzsimmons R, Bridges A, Nehal U, Shin D, Lim HW, Takeshita J, Howard L, Duffin K, Gelfand J. Identifying disparities in phototherapy dosing and research participation among patients with psoriasis by race, ethnicity, and skin phototype: Findings from the light treatment effectiveness study. J Invest Dermatol 2024; 144:S87.
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
8-1-2024
Publication Title
J Invest Dermatol
Abstract
We assessed disparities in phototherapy dosing and research participation for psoriasis patients by race, ethnicity, and skin phototype (SPT). Using data from the Light Treatment Effectiveness (LITE) study, a randomized pragmatic trial assessing office vs home phototherapy to treat psoriasis, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of demographics and initial phototherapy dosing for 783 patients from 42 US sites. 350 had SPT I/II, 350 SPT III/IV, 83 SPT V/VI, 67% were White non-Hispanic, 9% Black non-Hispanic, 7% Asian or Pacific Islander non-Hispanic (AAPI), 13% Hispanic, 52% female, mean age was 48, mean BSA was 12%, mean PGA was 2.7, and mean DLQI was 12 at baseline. Hispanic patients had higher DLQI than White patients by 2.1 (95% CI: 0.4, 3.8), adjusted for age, sex, and objective disease burden. Other racial/ethnic and SPT differences in psoriasis burden were not statistically significant after adjusting for age and sex. 88% and 75% of patients with SPT V/VI and III/IV receiving office phototherapy, respectively, were underdosed in the first treatment, compared to 51% of patients with SPT I/II (p<0.001). Among 254 eligible patients who declined to participate in the study, 61% were White, 15% Black, and 8% AAPI. Patients reported logistical barriers (58%), lack of interest in research participation (24%), and financial barriers (13%). Black patients were more likely than White patients to report barriers to home phototherapy (37% vs 21%, p=0.04). We identified disparities in disease burden, phototherapy dosing, and research participation by race/ethnicity and skin phototype, providing important contexts for intervention to achieve effective and equitable care for people with psoriasis.
Volume
144
First Page
S87
