Steroid phobia on social media platforms |
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Authors: | Melissa A Nickles MD Austin T Coale BS William Jeremiah A Henderson MR Kaylah E Brown BS Dean S Morrell MD Elizabeth L Nieman MD |
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Institution: | 1. University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA;2. Department of Dermatology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA |
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Abstract: | Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are the most commonly prescribed treatment for children with atopic dermatitis and are supported by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) atopic dermatitis treatment guidelines with level I strength A evidence; however, fear regarding their use, coined “steroid phobia,” is widespread. In this study, we analyzed steroid phobia-related content on popular social media platforms. We found much of this content consists of patients describing negative personal experiences with TCS and subsequently discouraging viewer use. We conclude that social media may contribute to steroid phobia, and we hope that our study motivates dermatologists with social media platforms to combat common misconceptions surrounding TCS use. |
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Keywords: | atopic dermatitis social media steroid phobia topical steroid addiction topical steroid withdrawal |
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