Work

Barriers and facilitators to adopting health-promoting lifestyles in patients with psoriasis in China: a qualitative study using the COM-B and SEM

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that places a heavy burden on patients and society. Lifestyle can affect the occurrence and progression of psoriasis and its associated comorbidities. Objectives: To explore facilitators and barriers to health-promoting lifestyles among patients with psoriasis using the capability, opportunity, motivation behavior (COM-B) model and the Social Ecological Model. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 16 patients recruited via a WeChat group of Psoriasis Patients' Home. Data were collected and analyzed using content analysis in NVivo software (version 14). Results: At the individual level, barriers included limited knowledge and awareness, excessive dietary restrictions, symptom burden, difficulty changing habits, ineffective behaviors, enjoying life in time, self-awareness of controllable conditions, food temptation, and inappropriate self-image; facilitators were disease knowledge, healthy diet attention, avoidance of side effects of medicine, effective behavioral change, proactive information seeking, self-feeling of aggravating skin lesions by bad habits, improved body image, self-pleasure, and overall health promotion. At the interpersonal level, barriers were social contact needs, while facilitators included peer and family support and patient role models. At the organizational/community level, barriers were work and life pressure and unhealthy workplace eating, whereas facilitators were community network support. At the societal level, barriers were stigmatization and lack of disease-specific health promotion guidance. Conclusions: This study highlights the multi-level factors influencing health-promoting lifestyles among patients with psoriasis and underscores the need for interventions that enhance individual capability and motivation while fostering supportive social and environmental contexts.

Source: Frontiers in Public Health

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1695306

Authors: Liyuan Xing, Huiqian Yu, Sisi Wang, Shuya Huang, Hongwei Liu, Jinghui Song

Institutions: Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou People's Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Health and Wellbeing Research

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801