Psoriasis awareness among general population: preliminary results of an online survey

Background: Psoriasis represents one of the most common skin diseases in Italy, with a prevalence of 2.9%. It has been defined as a noncommunicable disease, due to its high burden and impact on patients' quality of life. Aims: The aim of our observational study was to assess the actual knowledge and perception of psoriasis in Italian population by administering an online 10-question survey to a representative sample general population. Methods: An online 10-question survey was administered to a representative sample general population from September 2019 to December 2019. A representative sample of general population (age ≥ 18 years) was enrolled by promoting the online survey through multiple means of communication such as social sites (Facebook, Instagram) or delivering a questionnaire link in public spaces (outpatient clinic, pharmacy). All results were then collected and analyzed in graphs by the Google form platform. Results: 151 individuals participated in the survey. Results showed that 7.3% (n=11) of general population were not familiar with the term psoriasis; 4.6% (n=7) thought to psoriasis as an infectious disease and 6% (n=9) thought that psoriasis was contagious. Interestingly, 39.1% (n=59) of participants have never heard about targeted/biologic therapy. Limitations: Our study is limited by the small sample size as well as lack of data regarding sex, age and education level of the study participant. Conclusions: There is still lack of knowledge of psoriasis among general population, representing an obstacle for patients' everyday activities and quality of life. Future studies to investigate the details of this impaired knowledge and new psoriasis campaign on large scale should fill this gap are required.