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Review
. 2025 May;15(5):e70061.
doi: 10.1002/clt2.70061.

20 years of the socioeconomic impact of atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata from around the globe

Katarina Stevanovic  1   2   3 , Manuel Pereira  1   2   3 , Ophélie Nguyen  1 , Ingrid van Hofman  3 , Cathrin Meesch  3 , Torsten Zuberbier  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

20 years of the socioeconomic impact of atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata from around the globe

Katarina Stevanovic et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2025 May.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and alopecia areata (AA) represent chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by heterogeneous immune-mediated mechanisms, including subtypes that may interconnect the two diseases, as well as other comorbidities. AD is globally recognized as the most common inflammatory skin disease and AA is an autoimmune disease, causing non-scarring hair loss. In both diseases the quality of life (QoL) is decreased, out-of-pocket expenses on alternative therapies and camouflage endeavours is high, increased productivity loss/absenteeism at work or school, and high healthcare costs are significant. These diseases are not life threatening but result in a substantial socioeconomic impact, which so far has been difficult to quantify on the global scale. This qualitative review that includes literature published between 2004 and 2024 evaluates the current alignment between available healthcare resources and the comprehensive needs of these patients. Currently available data indicates that the socioeconomic impact of AD and AA is evidently high, meanwhile there is data lacking from most countries in Africa, Scandinavia and East Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Latin America. Global studies with standardized methodology are necessary to assess the socio-economic impact of these conditions.

Keywords: alopecia areata; atopic dermatitis; disease costs; socioeconomic impact.

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Conflict of interest statement

Manuel Pereira has received research funding from Almirall; is an investigator for Allakos, Celldex Therapeutics, Incyte, Sanofi and Trevi Therapeutics; and has received consulting fees, speaker honoraria and/or travel fees from AbbVie, Beiersdorf, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, GA2LEN, Galderma, Menlo Therapeutics, Novartis, P.G. Unna Academy, Sanofi, StreamedUP and Trevi Therapeutics. Torsten Zuberbier reports honoraria for lectures from Amgen, AstraZeneca, AbbVie, ALK ‐Abelló, Almirall, Astellas, Bayer Health Care, Bencard, Berlin Chemie, FAES Farma, HAL Allergie GmbH, Henkel, Kryolan, Leti, L'Oreal, Meda, Menarini, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Nuocor, Pfizer, Sanofi, Stallergenes, Takeda, Teva, UCB, and Uriach; Fees for industry consulting were received from Abivax, Almirall, Blueprint, Celldex, Celltrion, Novartis, and Sanofi; in addition he declares non‐paid organizational affiliations: Committee member, “Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma” (ARIA), Member of the Board, German Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), Head, European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF), President, Global Allergy and Asthma Excellence Network (GA2LEN), and Member, Committee on Allergy Diagnosis and Molecular Allergology, World Allergy Organisation (WAO). Katarina Stevanovic, Ophelie Nguyen, Ingrid van Hofman, and Cathrin Meesch declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
World map depicting data coverage included in this qualitative literature review, colour referring to data coverage on AD, AA, or both, respectively. AA, alopecia areata; AD, atopic dermatitis.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
An illustrative interplay of different factors contributing to the socio‐economic impact of AD and AA shown from the perspective of three major stakeholders. AA, alopecia areata; AD, atopic dermatitis; QoL, quality of life; POV, point of view.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
An illustrative inverted pyramid scheme indicating the number of people impacted in the different stakeholder layers by the socio‐economic impact associated with AD and AA. AA, alopecia areata; AD, atopic dermatitis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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