Management of Dermatitis in Community Pharmacies: An Italian Survey on Pharmacists’ Practices and the Impact on Corticophobia

Community pharmacists play a key role in promoting safe and effective self-management of common skin conditions and providing educational support for clinician-prescribed therapies, thereby enhancing patient adherence. In this study, a semi-structured survey was conducted with 154 Italian community pharmacists to gather insights on their counseling practices regarding dermatological disorders. The findings offer a comprehensive overview of the frequency and approaches used in counseling within Italian community pharmacies, highlighting existing knowledge gaps and misconceptions. Notably, a generally negative perception of topical corticosteroid use was observed among pharmacists, reflecting a phenomenon known as corticophobia. Based on this finding, we discuss the potential impact of pharmacist-related corticophobia on patient adherence. Finally, we summarize the primary educational resources pharmacists expressed a desire for, suggesting their implementation to support more effective dermatology counseling.