THE significant impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) on adults was highlighted by research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2024. This groundbreaking analysis comes from the “Scars of Life” (SOL) project, which studied over 30,000 adults across 27 countries to assess the long-term effects of atopic eczema (AE) on psychological and social well-being.
The study recruited 10,258 participants with current AE, of which 5,931 (57.8%) were women and 4,237 (42.2%) were men. The mean age of the participants was 41.84 ± 14.70 years. Within this population, 2,875 individuals (28%) were identified as having childhood-onset atopic eczema (ECA), while 7,883 individuals (72%) had adult-onset atopic eczema (EOA).
In their daily lives, 31.6% of respondents indicated that individuals avoided shaking hands with them due to visible signs of their AE, and 29.1% reported experiencing discrimination in the workplace. On a personal level, 28.5% of participants indicated that they had been rejected by their partner because of their eczema, while 39.2% admitted to feeling self-conscious or trying to hide their condition. Additionally, 28.1% of those surveyed reported experiencing shame from their family or relatives.
The analysis showed that individuals whose AE began in childhood (ECA) faced greater psychological and social challenges compared to those whose condition began in adulthood (EOA). When propensity score matching was used to create two comparable groups of 5,750 individuals, the results showed that ECA patients had significantly higher levels of stigma, as measured by the PUSH-D scale, with a score of 23.0 ± 20.1 compared to 18.1 ± 17.6 in the EOA group (p-value < 0.0001). Childhood-onset AD was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting that the condition presented a barrier to becoming a parent, affected their love life and sexuality, negatively impacted their self-image and self-confidence, and hindered their professional career.
The findings indicate that early-onset AE not only has a profound impact on physical health but also deeply affects psychological and social aspects of life, influencing relationships, daily activities, and career opportunities. By providing comprehensive data on how the age of onset affects the severity of its impact, the study underscores the need for more holistic treatment strategies that address both the physical and emotional well-being of AE patients.
Abigail Craig, EMJ
Reference
Silverberg JI et al. Impact of atopic dermatitis in adults depends on its age of onset: Results of the “Scars of Life” project. Abstract 7861. EADV Congress 2024, 25-38 September, 2024.
