Therapeutic patient education in atopic dermatitis.

The successful management of chronic diseases such as atopic dermatitis relies greatly on adherence to treatment. The likelihood of adherence requires much more than a simple transfer of knowledge: a change in individuals' behaviour towards health is needed. One of the critical components of this change is therapeutic patient education. This form of education is an evolving concept: it aims to empower patients and their caregivers with the knowledge and skills to be able to manage disease autonomously. Despite the obvious challenges, this Darwinist approach to healthcare should be embraced in medicine, and in particular in the care of atopic dermatitis patients, in order to ensure an improvement in patients' (and their caregivers') quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]