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The costs associated with eczema in childhood
Author(s) -
Olsson M.,
Bajpai R.,
Wee L.W.Y.,
Yew Y.W.,
Koh M.J.A.,
Thng S.,
Car J.,
Järbrink K.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.18993
Subject(s) - atopic dermatitis , medicine , disease , health care , quality of life (healthcare) , population , ethnic group , itching , indirect costs , family medicine , pediatrics , environmental health , dermatology , nursing , pathology , sociology , anthropology , economics , economic growth , business , accounting
Summary Atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, is a common childhood skin disease that reduces quality of life due to itching, sleep disturbances and its impact on emotional wellbeing. Worldwide the disease affects between one and 25 in 100 children. In Singapore it has been estimated that around one in five children have atopic dermatitis. This study was undertaken in Singapore to understand how much atopic dermatitis costs the healthcare sector and families, and if there is any connection between costs, background factors and disease severity. Children 16 years or younger diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and their legal caregivers were recruited at two skin disease specialist clinics to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire asked about previous healthcare visits, medications used, caregivers’ time spent on caring for their child's atopic dermatitis, and other expenditures related to the disease. Costs were summarised and compared across type of cost, disease severity, ethnicities, and so on. The authors found that the largest cost was for caregivers’ time spent caring for their child's atopic dermatitis and expenses for items such as non‐medical creams. The study shows that atopic dermatitis is a disease that costs the family more than the healthcare system and is strongly related to disease severity. This information is important for policymakers and other healthcare planners when considering how to better support affected families. This is a summary of the study: The cost of childhood atopic dermatitis in a multi‐ethnic Asian population: a cost‐of‐illness study.