抄録
The non-compliance of patients suffering from Atopic Dermatitis (AD) has been a vital matter in Japan since the 1990s. The main reason for non-compliance is the side effects of steroids, the most common treatment medication. This paper aims to reveal the experiences of AD patients who suffer from side effects of steroids in order to show patients' perspectives, which are completely lacking in medical discourses. This paper also focuses on AD sufferers' thoughts towards a cure, as it is an important point to understand their decision making in regard to treatments. This paper also argues that AD sufferers' confusion is caused by the contemporary medical situation, which is characterized by an increase in incurable chronic diseases, a "new medical pluralism," and an increase in the availability of a wider range of treatments.
