2023-10-08 22:02:41
Lugano, Switzerland (ots/PRNewswire) – The Burden of Skin Disease in Europe, a large-scale Europe-wide study examining 19,015 people with various skin diseases, has revealed the enormous psychological burden of living with an illness.
The diseases examined in the study that are currently in… Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (JEADV) published include acne, atopic dermatitis, alopecia, psoriasis and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
88% of patients with a skin condition found their illness embarrassing in their personal life, and 83% said this was also true in their professional life. In addition, almost 25% reported that they had changed their professional activity due to their illness, with professional life particularly affected by patients with acne (48%) and urticaria (60%).
Previous study results show that almost half of the adult European population reported having at least one dermatological condition. The prevalence of skin diseases is likely to be significantly higher, as 40% of skin cancers and STD diagnoses go undetected at the first consultation.
Prof. Marie-Aleth Richard, lead author of the study, comments: “This study highlights the alarming psychosocial challenges faced by people with skin diseases and highlights the need to provide psychological support to patients and the stigmatization that patients face in their private life and professional life. These common diseases have a profound impact on mental health and significantly impact patients’ quality of life.”
Despite their high prevalence and their psychological and physical impact, skin diseases receive little attention in politics, research and funding. Patients’ journeys are often complex and many avoid medical visits, contributing to the true burden being underestimated.
“Skin diseases are systematically underestimated and few measures have been published to combat the associated stigma,” adds Prof. Myrto Trakatelli, Chair of the EADV Advocacy Working Group. “Urgent action needs to be taken to raise awareness Raising awareness of the impact of skin diseases on individuals, the economy and society and ensuring patients receive the holistic care they need, including mental health support. Eliminating stigma across the sector is paramount “To truly improve the lives of the many patients living with skin diseases, we call on policymakers to take concerted action to address both the physical and psychological burden of skin diseases.”
Questions & Contact:
For more information or to arrange an interview,
please contact press@eadv.org,
Luke Paskins,
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