Adult eczema: the burden on sufferers in Australia
23 September 2002
The million or more adult Australians suffering from atopic eczema are at risk of physical, psychological and financial pressures, according to a new study released to coincide with Eczema Awareness Week (22-28 September 2002).
As well as the negative impact of the skin disease on the lives of sufferers, there is also a financial cost to the sufferer, according to the new research.
The people studied in the Atopic Eczema Health Survey spent an average out-of-pocket amount of $425 per year on products, as well as an average of $121 a year on medical consultations. Forty per cent of the 85 adults who were monitored for a year were using 4 or more products to treat their eczema.
‘This common, frustrating and often debilitating skin disease can have a significant physical and emotional toll on sufferers and their carers’ quality of life, while also proving costly to the public purse,’ said National President of the Eczema Association of Australia Ms Heather Jacobs.
Eczema sufferers consider stress to be the main reason for flare-ups of their condition. According to lead study investigator and dermatologist Professor Robin Marks from St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne: ‘Of the 66 responses from participants who said that a life event had made their atopic eczema worse, 64 per cent cited increased stress as a reason.
‘The weather, hormones, treatments, holidays and illness were other reasons voiced by participants for the deterioration of their skin disease.’
Quality of life
More than half of the participants considered spring to be the worst season for their eczema due to the time spent applying daily treatments, which often took more than 20 minutes.
For sufferers with more severe eczema, 45 per cent said their skin felt itchy, sore, painful and stinging, while 36 per cent said that their eczema influenced the clothes they wore. Their eczema was a source of embarrassment or made them feel self-conscious, for 21 per cent of those taking part in the study.
| What is eczema? |
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Eczema is a common, recurring skin condition. It is not infectious. In eczema, the skin becomes red, dry, itchy or scaly or can weep, bleed or crust over. Eczema often appears in childhood and disappears at about 6 years of age. More than half of eczema sufferers show signs of the disease within the first 12 months of life and 90 per cent develop it before the age of 5. A family history of eczema has been shown to play a role in a person developing eczema, however, its increasing prevalence may be triggered by exposure to environmental irritants and allergens, including housing materials, carpets, diet, soaps, detergents and pollution. There is no cure for eczema, but various treatments can offer affected people control of their symptoms. |
Last Reviewed: 23 September 2002
