Abstract:

Introduction:
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic immune-mediated disease affecting 20–30% of individuals with psoriasis worldwide. Early and equitable access to effective therapies is essential to prevent disability, yet significant global inequalities persist. In many settings, visible lesions contribute to stigma, delaying diagnosis and undermining quality of life. This initiative formed part of the project “Skin and Human Rights: Awareness on Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Global Health,” funded under the Cátedra UNESCO for Education for Development, Global Citizenship and Awareness (2025–2026 call) of the Universitat de València. The project aims to integrate biomedical learning with an understanding of inequity and stigma from a human-rights perspective.

Methods:
The activity, focused on PsA, was implemented in the course Foundations of Inflammation Pharmacology within the Master’s Degree in Research and Rational Use of Medicines. Twelve students completed a pretest combining multiple-choice questions (epidemiology, diagnosis, manifestations, treatments) and open-ended items on access to therapies and stigma. To explore global disparities in depth, Peru was selected as a case study. Students prepared a 15-minute presentation on a therapeutic target, analysed Peruvian access barriers and produced a public-facing infographic. A post-test and a satisfaction survey (Likert scale: 1 = strongly agree; 5 = strongly disagree) were administered. APAPSO Perú provided firsthand insights into stigma, emotional burden and barriers to care.

Results:
Pretest multiple-choice responses showed heterogeneous baseline knowledge. For P1 (proportion of psoriasis patients who develop PsA), 66.7% of students responded correctly; for P2 (rheumatoid factor), accuracy fell to 33.3%. Only 8.3% correctly identified the non-typical manifestation in P3, while 66.7% selected the anti-TNF agent in P4 and 66.7% recognised axial and peripheral involvement in P6. Open-ended answers reflected limited initial awareness of treatment inequities and stigma.
In the post-test all students answered every multiple-choice item correctly, and open responses were markedly more accurate, reflective and contextually informed, demonstrating deeper understanding of clinical features, global disparities and stigma.
The satisfaction survey reinforced these findings: most students strongly agreed that the activity improved their understanding of PsA, biological treatments and mechanisms of action, mirroring the gains seen in the post-test. Students also noted that engaging with the Peruvian case deepened their reflection on inequities, highlighting for the first time the impact of geographic barriers, limited access to biologics and social stigma on patients’ lives. Overall satisfaction was high: the majority found the activity clear and well structured, reported meaningful learning gains, valued the contribution of APAPSO Peru and stated they would recommend including the activity in future editions.

Conclusions:
This UNESCO Chair–funded initiative shows that combining active learning, pre/post evaluation and patient-organisation engagement enhances biomedical understanding while fostering awareness of inequity, stigma and the right to health. It contributes to preparing future professionals committed to evidence-based and socially responsive pharmacology.

Keywords:

Psoriatic arthritis, active learning, experiential learning, global health inequities, human rights, stigma, international cooperation, pharmacology education, UNESCO Chair, patient engagement, health disparities, postgraduate education, Peru.