Burden of atopic dermatitis in Asia

• Published in: Journal of dermatology Vol. 46; no. 10; pp. 825 - 834
• Main Authors: Tsai, Tsen‐Fang, Rajagopalan, Murlidhar, Chu, Chia‐Yu, Encarnacion, Lonabel, Gerber, Robert A., Santos‐Estrella, Paul, Llamado, Lyndon John Q., Tallman, Anna M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Asia; Asia - epidemiology; Atopic dermatitis; Cost of Illness; Dermatitis; Dermatitis, Atopic - complications; Dermatitis, Atopic - economics; Dermatitis, Atopic - epidemiology; Eczema; Epidemiology; Humans; Life Style - ethnology; Prevalence; Pruritus; Public health; Quality of Life; Risk Factors; Skin diseases; Urbanization; Asia; eczema; epidemiology; atopic dermatitis; quality of life; Asia
• ISSN: 0385-2407; 1346-8138
• DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.15048

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense pruritus and eczematous lesions. It is considered one of the most common chronic conditions, with an estimated global prevalence of nearly 230 million. As in the rest of the world, prevalence of atopic dermatitis has been increasing in Asian countries over the last few decades. This increased prevalence in Asian countries has been attributed to factors such as rapid urbanization, increasingly Westernized lifestyles, and improved standards of living and education. As a result, it is important to understand the increasing burden of disease in Asian countries and the differences between the countries in terms of epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, management, quality of life and economic burden.