THE NATIONAL ECZEMA ASSOCIATION ROLLS OUT THIS YEAR'S AWARENESS MONTH WITH AN INNOVATIVE FOCUS ON ECZEMA, A LIFE-ALTERING SKIN DISEASE BURDENING OVER 31 MILLION ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THE USA

NEA will offer wide-ranging activities, educational resources and support for eczema patients and caregivers throughout October's Eczema Awareness Month

NOVATO, Calif., Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Eczema Association (NEA) rolls out its annual Eczema Awareness Month in October with an innovative look at the life-altering, non-contagious and inflammatory skin disease that burdens 31.6 million adults and children in the United States (10.1% of the population).^{1, 2}   Eczema refers to a group of chronic and acute symptoms that typically cause skin itch, sleep disturbance, inflammation, pain and/or a rash-like appearance.³

Themed "Focus on Eczema," this year's multi-faceted awareness efforts aim to reduce stigma by building familiarity with and understanding of eczema. Centered on a compelling photographic series and the personal stories of people living with eczema, the NEA community and the public will have many opportunities to see the skin, hear the stories, learn the facts and discover the latest research. Through intriguing images of eight members of the NEA community, photographed by Piper Ferguson, viewers are invited to look more and more closely at the skin of those who are in a state of flaring or have not had a flare in months to better understand the realities of eczema.

Supported by a robust series of events, webinars, engagement activities, educational content and support shared virtually and through social media (#FocusonEczema), each week of Eczema Awareness Month will focus on a different aspect of living with eczema, as follows:

• Week 1 (October 1-9): What eczema is … and isn't.
• Week 2 (October 10 - 16): What it's like to live with eczema, taking a closer look at eczema's burden of disease.
• Week 3: (October 17-23) What you can do about eczema, taking a closer look at how to manage and treat eczema — and what future treatment and management might look like.
• Week 4 (October 24-31)—How to manage your eczema, taking a closer look at what it's like to live with eczema on a daily basis and how to do it better.

Eczema Facts

• There are seven different types of eczema in varying degrees of severity, and it is possible to have more than one type.
• Eczema's disease burden includes various painful and debilitating physical, mental and emotional effects.
• People of all ages, skin colors, races and ethnicities can be affected by eczema¹, yet much of what is currently known has been learned by studying eczema in white skin.⁴ Recent studies of the high eczema prevalence in diverse racial and ethnic groups has resulted in calls for more studies on eczema on darker skin or skin of color (SOC).⁵
• Itch is the most burdensome symptom of Atopic Dermatitis (AD), the most common form of eczema, followed by skin redness and sleep loss.^{3, 6, 7}
• Recent studies have suggested that those with AD are up to 44% more likely to exhibit suicidal ideation and 36% more likely to attempt suicide. ^8,9,10,11,12
• Nearly 40% of eczema patients reported that they turned down a job or an educational opportunity due to their disease.^{13, 14}
• Nearly 5.9 million workdays annually are lost due to eczema in the United States. ^{15, 16}
• The annual economic burden of eczema, including direct medical costs, indirect costs from lost productivity, and quality of life impacts, is conservatively estimated at $5.3 billion.¹⁷

Learn more eczema facts here.

While the disease burden of eczema can be crushing for sufferers and those who love them, there is great hope for a better future. "We are in an unparalleled era, marked by a growing list of FDA-approved treatments for eczema, new medications in the pipeline, surging scientific research and evolving insights into the lived experiences and preferences of eczema patients—all of which will lead to better therapies, better care, better outcomes, and one day, potentially, a cure for eczema,"  comments Julie Block, NEA President and CEO.

NEA's Eczema Awareness Month 2022 is supported in part by the following sponsors:

Sanofi Regeneron, AbbVie, Cetaphil, LEO, Eli Lilly, Dermavant and Incyte.

About the National Eczema Association

Founded in 1988, the National Eczema Association (NEA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the largest patient advocacy organization serving the over 31 million Americans who live with eczema and those who care for them. NEA provides programs and resources to elevate the diverse lived experience of eczema, and help patients and caregivers understand their disease, actively engage in their care, find strength in one another — and improve their lives. Additionally, NEA advances critical eczema research and partners with key stakeholders to ensure the patient voice is represented and valued in education, care and treatment decision-making. Learn more at NationalEczema.org.

References

1. Hanifin JM, Reed ML, Eczema Prevalence and Impact Working Group. A population-based survey of eczema prevalence in the United States. Dermatitis. 2007;18(2):82-91.
2. Silverberg JI, Hanifin JM. Adult eczema prevalence and associations with asthma and other health and demographic factors: a US population-based study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013;132(5):1132-1138.
3. More Than Skin Deep Collaborative. (2020). Understanding the Lived Experience of Eczema:  The "Voice of the Patient" Report on the Eczema Patient-Focused Drug Development Meeting.  Retrieved from http://www.morethanskindeep-eczema.org/
4. Roh YS, Huang AH, Sutaria N, et al. Real-world comorbidities of atopic dermatitis in the U.S. adult ambulatory population. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021.
5. Montgomery SN, Elbuluk N. A quantitative analysis of research publications focused on the top chief complaints in skin of color patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020.
6. Maarouf, M. et al. Pain and Itch Are Dual Burdens in Atopic Dermatitis. Dermatitis 29, 278–281 (2018).
7. Silverberg, J. I. et al. Patient burden and quality of life in atopic dermatitis in US adults: A population-based cross-sectional study. Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol. 121, 340–347 (2018).
8. Sandhu, J. K., Wu, K. K., Bui, T.-L. & Armstrong, A. W. Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Suicidality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 155, 178–187 (2019).
9. Patel, K. R., Immaneni, S., Singam, V., Rastogi, S. & Silverberg, J. I. Association between atopic dermatitis, depression, and suicidal ideation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 80, 402–410 (2019).
10. Rønnstad, A. T. M. et al. Association of atopic dermatitis with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in children and adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 79, 448–456.e30 (2018).
11. Drucker, A. M., Thiruchelvam, D. & Redelmeier, D. A. Eczema and subsequent suicide: a matched case-control study. BMJ Open 8, e023776 (2018).
12. Halvorsen, J. A., Lien, L., Dalgard, F., Bjertness, E. & Stern, R. S. Suicidal ideation, mental health problems, and social function in adolescents with eczema: a population-based study. J. Invest. Dermatol. 134, 1847–1854 (2014)
13. Chung, J. & Simpson, E. L. The socioeconomics of atopic dermatitis. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology vol. 122 360–366 (2019).
14. Holm, E. A., Esmann, S. & Jemec, G. B. E. The handicap caused by atopic dermatitis–sick leave and job avoidance. J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. 20, 255–259 (2006).
15. Stingeni, L. et al. Atopic Dermatitis and Patient Perspectives: Insights of Bullying at School and Career Discrimination at Work. J. Asthma Allergy 14, 919–928 (2021).
16. Silverberg, J. I. Health Care Utilization, Patient Costs, and Access to Care in US Adults With Eczema: A Population-Based Study. JAMA Dermatol. 151, 743–752 (2015).
17. Drucker, A. M. et al. The Burden of Atopic Dermatitis: Summary of a Report for the National Eczema Association. J. Invest. Dermatol. 137, 26–30 (2017)

SOURCE National Eczema Association