Assessing Treatment Delays for Vitiligo Patients: A Retrospective Chart Review

Abstract

Many barriers to care exist for vitiligo patients that can impact patients' quality of life. Because early treatment of vitiligo is more efficacious, we investigated the factors associated with delay to treatment via a retrospective chart review of 102 consecutive patients attending an academic outpatient clinic over a 36-month time frame. Demographic information, clinical characteristics of vitiligo, and treatment details were obtained via a standardized questionnaire given to all patients with vitiligo. Our findings emphasize the need to investigate barriers to care to reduce health disparities among individuals with vitiligo.