Investigation of Disease cognition and Skin Care Practices Among Caregivers of Children with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-sectional Study

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder requiring continuous management and caregiver participation. This study aimed to assess disease cognition and skin care practices among caregivers of children with moderate-to-severe AD. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered to caregivers of 215 children with moderate-to-severe AD treated at the Department of Dermatology, Xuzhou Children’s Hospital. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with cognition levels. Results The overall cognition rate among caregivers was 57.7%. Educational attainment, occupation, residence, disease duration, and severity were significantly associated with cognition (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified caregivers’ education level, occupation, disease duration, and severity as independent determinants (P < 0.05). Dermatologists (81.9%) and online media (54.4%) were the main knowledge sources. Individualized education was preferred (76.3%), whereas group lectures were least favored (32.1%). Regarding skin care habits, 41.9% of children bathed ≤ 1 time per week, 60.9% bathed for > 10 minutes, and 79.5% used topical emollients, though 69.8% applied them < 2 times daily. Only 23.7% of caregivers understood the efficacy of functional emollients. Conclusions Caregivers exhibited inadequate disease cognition and suboptimal skin care practices. Targeted health education should be strengthened to improve long-term AD management outcomes.