Effects of video-based education on topical corticosteroid phobia among parents of pediatric atopic dermatitis: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Topical corticosteroid phobia is associated with medication avoidance and difficulty achieving disease control.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of video-based education on topical corticosteroid phobia among parents of pediatric atopic dermatitis.

Methods: This was a single-center, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial conducted among parents of pediatric patients aged under 18 years diagnosed with atopic dermatitis by pediatric dermatologists at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital between May 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which received standard treatment plus a single 6-minute educational video on topical corticosteroid use, or the control group, which received standard treatment alone.

Results: A total of 50 participants were analyzed, including 24 in the intervention group and 26 in the control group. The primary outcome, topical corticosteroid phobia (TOPICOP) score, did not differ significantly between groups at week 4 (mean difference -1.95, 95% CI -5.26 to 1.37; p value 0.25) or week 8 (mean difference -1.09, 95% CI -4.40 to 2.23; p value 0.52). No significant between-group differences were observed in visual analogue scale (VAS) score, scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) score, treatment outcomes, or adverse effects at either follow-up time point. However, both groups showed improvement over time in several outcomes.

Conclusion: Video-based education on topical corticosteroid use did not significantly reduce TOPICOP, VAS, or SCORAD scores compared with standard care alone at 4 and 8 weeks. Further studies with larger sample sizes, targeting parents with higher baseline corticosteroid phobia, and more intensive educational interventions are warranted.