THE vital role of family support in managing psoriasis took centre stage at the recent World Psoriasis Day 2024 (WPD 2024) event which aimed to bring hope and resilience to individuals with psoriasis by emphasising the power of family involvement in easing the physical and emotional burdens of the condition.
At the event organised Psoriasis Association of Malaysia (PAM), the non-profit organsiation’s medical advisor Dr Azura Mohd Affandi highlighted that psoriasis impacts more than just the individual – it often affects the entire family.
“As families support their loved ones, they also face emotional challenges like anxiety, sadness and social stigma,” she pointed out.
This year’s theme, Healthy Skin, Happy Family, underscored how family support plays an essential role in improving both health outcomes and overall well-being for people affected by psoriasis.
In fact, family involvement goes beyond practical caregiving; it reinforces treatment adherence, leading to better outcomes and more positive experiences for everyone involved.
PAM interim president Sofia Lovi Ramasamy emphasised PAM’s commitment to raising awareness and reducing stigma through outreach efforts aimed at underserved communities, including low-income families, school children and rural folks.
“Our initiatives foster greater understanding and acceptance of psoriasis across diverse populations. However, we need to do more,” she enthused.
“We will expand our awareness efforts through greater utilisation of social media channels and adoption of digital resources.”
The WPD 2024 further highlighted the need for broader access to advanced treatments. While topical and systemic therapies are available, access to phototherapy and biologic treatments remains limited.
According to Dr Azura who is also the Health Ministry’s (MOH) Dermatology Subspecialty national head, biologic access in Malaysia can be optimised.
“According to the 12th Report of the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry (2020-2022), only 4.4% currently receive biologic treatment although 17.6% of patients were reported to have severe psoriasis,” she observed.
Though costly, biologic treatments have shown remarkable improvements in managing severe psoriasis – often reducing symptoms by up to 90-100%.
“These treatments can transform lives,” explained PAM’s secretary Patrina Tang. “Our mission goes beyond raising awareness; we seek to build empathy and expand access to treatments that enable patients to thrive.”
On this note, Novartis Malaysia’s country head (communications & patient advocacy) Melissa Hon, expressed her company’s dedication to improving patient outcomes.
“At Novartis, we believe raising awareness and empowering families is essential to better patient care. We’re proud to partner with PAM in creating a world where psoriasis patients can thrive with the support of their loved ones,” she added. – Dec 2, 2024
