Eczema Awareness Month

October is Eczema Awareness Month! Eczema affects 31 million people in America and the experience can very for every patient. For 2021 the National Eczema Association has launched the #ThisIsMyEczema social-media campaign to cast some light on the fact that not all eczema experiences are the same, the disorder is very complex and affects everyone differently. While some symptoms are mild and easy to miss, for others eczema is an extremely painful, disfiguring malady that is difficult to endure. Eczema is often one of those illnesses you heard a lot about on television but may not realize you’ve encountered in the real world. Often times people will suffer in silence, embarrassed by the oily, blotched or red and peeling appearance of their skin and take great pains to hide their affliction. Other times the discomfort may go unnoticed or dismissed while people needlessly suffer the discomfort for years, even decades before diagnosis.

Prevalence

Eczema is clinically referred to as Childhood & Adult Atopic Dermatitis (AD) and approximately 9.6 million people in the US under 18 have this disease and about a third of them have a moderate or severe case, and this number is rising, increasing from about 8% to approximately 12% from 1997 to 2021. Around 19.5 million adults are also afflicted and have AD symptoms that started around 2 years of age, around 40% of these patients have moderate to severe symptoms. Around 25% of patients experienced adult onset of Eczema, but it primarily develops during childhood. People of all skin types and colors may be affected but the illness is most statistically prominent in Caucasian (11%), Black (10%), Asian and Pacific Islander and Native American populations (13% each).

The Symptoms and Mortality

According to NationalEczema.org, the symptomology of Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis is varied.

• “Itch is the most burdensome symptom of AD, followed by skin redness and dryness. ^1920 21
• A recent study of adults with moderate to severe AD found that 70.5% reported severe, unbearable itch in the past two weeks, 85.8% reported daily itch, and 62.8% reported itching at least 12 hours per day. ²²
• Skin pain is a newly appreciated symptom of AD, with 61% of affected adults reporting pain, 33% experienced pain at least once per week, and 5.2% had pain daily. ^2023 24
• Sleep disturbance occurs in approximately 60% of children with AD, and parents of children with AD are four to eight times more likely to average less than six hours of sleep per night compared with caregivers of healthy children. ²⁵²⁶
• 15-30% of adults with AD experience sleep-related issues including insomnia, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, and rate sleep disturbance as the ‘most’ or ‘second-most’ burdensome symptom. ^2127 28
• More than 55% of adults with moderate-to-severe AD report inadequate disease control. ²⁹³⁰
• One in four adults with AD rate their health as “fair” or “poor”; more than 16% are “very” or “somewhat” dissatisfied with life. Negative ratings of health and life satisfaction increase with AD severity. ²¹
• Hospitalization due to AD flares and associated infections is associated with an 8.3-year reduction in lifespan compared to the general population. ³¹Outside of hospitalization, the risk for death due to any cause is slightly increased in people with AD. ³²
• Eczema has the highest effect on disability-associated life years for patients with skin diseases worldwide. ³³”

Living And Dying With Eczema

While Eczema or AD is not in itself deadly, it’s greatest danger lies in its comorbidities or associated conditions. Studies have shown that Eczema contributes to a major impact in overall quality of life and is considered contributory or coincidental to many fatal conditions. However, most concerning is psychological impact.

1. Children and adolescents with AD are two to six times more likely to have depression, anxiety or conduct disorder than children without AD. ⁵⁴⁵⁵
2. Adults with AD have a two-and-a-half to three-fold higher risk for anxiety or depression that increases with disease severity, yet up to one-half of individuals may go undiagnosed. ^956 57 58
3. AD’s negative impact on mental health ranks greater than that for patients with heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. ²¹
4. Recent studies have suggested people with AD are up to 44% more likely to exhibit suicidal ideation, and 36% are more likely to attempt suicide.^{59 60 61 62 63}

Your skin aches and itches, different fabrics you wear and bedclothes you sleep on can range from annoying and uncomfortable enough to keep you awake in spite of exhaustion or medication and the effect is cumulative. You are ashamed to show your skin for the scratches, abrasions redness and peeling. Your choices of clothing are dictated by whether or not you’re having a flareup, you may forgo fun activities like swimming or going to the beach. Adults report it interferes with dating and their sex-lives. 40% of eczema patients have turned down a job or an education opportunity because of their illness.

October and Eczema Awareness Month, is a great opportunity to reach out to someone in your life who may be suffering, or donate to the National Eczema Association and help 31 million Americans with eczema live better lives in spite of their condition.

Apotheca Wholesale Pharmaceuticals is well equipped and ideally to supply pharmacies and practices with a variety of medications for managing eczema. We have all of the qualities you’re looking for in a Pharmaceutical distributor and we’re in this together.

Contact us today at Customerservice@apothecainc.com or call us at 602-252-5244.