Steroid phobia in eczema: Common and undermines complianc

1. Programme Grants Appl Res (2016) doi:10.3310/pgfar04180

2. JAMA Dermatol (2017) doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.2437

Topical corticosteroids are an important management option for atopic eczema, which affects between 16% and 30% of UK children¹. Serious side effects, such as Cushing syndrome and permanent skin atrophy, are rare when topical corticosteroids are used correctly². Nevertheless, many patients and parents worry about using topical steroids.

Originally, steroid-phobia described an irrational fear of corticosteroids. However, the definition now includes ‘vague negative feelings and beliefs’ about topical steroids and may arise more from misinformation than irrationality. Nevertheless, while steroid phobia contributes to treatment failure in atopic dermatitis, the phenomenon is ‘sparsely described in the literature’².