Patient noncompliance in dermatomycosis. Results of a survey among dermatologists and general practitioners and patients.

Noncompliance among dermatomycosis patients exists in many forms and is widespread. Patients are noncompliant in two major areas: they reduce the number of necessary daily applications of the antifungal drug and they prematurely stop the therapy. A survey among 35 dermatologists and general practitioners as well as 230 dermatomycosis patients in Germany in 1982 showed that noncompliance is widespread: a total of 48% of patients neglected the proper daily dosage schedule, 44% reduced the number of daily applications, whereas 4% increased them. 25% of patients stopped treatment after the symptoms had disappeared. However, there is no such thing like the noncompliant patients personality. Depending on the kind of noncompliance, different personality structures appear. And based on the patient's overall attitude towards noncompliance - one third confesses to be noncompliant - the psychological picture becomes even more complex and multifaceted. Improving patient compliance seems to be most promising by better, i.e. more thorough, doctor-patient communication and antifungal drugs that minimize the risks of noncompliant behavior by requiring less daily applications and a shorter time of treatment.