Economic Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in Taiwan

Authors

  • Ellen M. Lee Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
  • Yung-Tsu Cho Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Tom C. Chan Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Dereck Shen School of Health Care Administration, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Chia-Yu Chu Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Chao-Hsiun Tang School of Health Care Administration, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v103.4556

Keywords:

atopic dermatitis, cost of illness, burden of disease

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a prevalent inflammatory skin disease that manifests clinically as pruritus and eczema. Severe forms of atopic dermatitis can be chronic and relapsing or associated with other dermatological complications and comorbidities, resulting in lifelong impacts across multiple aspects for patients. This study was conducted to calculate the atopic dermatitis-related economic burden in Taiwan. First, the out-of- pocket costs incurred by 200 patients with atopic dermatitis were estimated using a specifically designed questionnaire. Secondly, work impairment was converted into quantifiable costs. The costs reimbursed by the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI), which were estimated in our previous work, were included in the final calculation. The atopic dermatitis-related economic burden for patients in Taiwan in 2018 was estimated as (2018 New Taiwan dollars; NT$) 37.90 billion, which is 0.207% of Taiwan’s gross domestic product. This substantial economic burden suggests an existing need for more effective and equitable treatment for atopic dermatitis. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Torres T, Ferreira EO, Goncalo M, Mendes-Bastos P, Selores M, Filipe P. Update on atopic dermatitis. Acta Med Port 2019; 32: 606-613.

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.11963 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.11963

Ahn C, Huang W. Clinical presentation of atopic dermatitis. Adv Exp Med Biol 2017; 1027: 39-46.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64804-0_4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64804-0_4

Stander S. Atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med 2021; 384: 1136-1143.

https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2023911 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2023911

Cho Y-T, Hsieh W-T, Chan TC, Tang C-H, Chu C-Y. Prevalence of baseline comorbidities in patients with atopic dermatitis: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan. JAAD Int 2020; 1: 50-58.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdin.2020.05.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdin.2020.05.002

Eckert L, Gupta S, Amand C, Gadkari A, Mahajan P, Gelfand JM. Impact of atopic dermatitis on health-related quality of life and productivity in adults in the United States: An analysis using the National Health and Wellness Survey. J Am Acad Dermatol 2017; 77: 274-279 e273.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2017.04.019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2017.04.019

Drucker AM, Wang AR, Li WQ, Sevetson E, Block JK, Qureshi AA. The burden of atopic dermatitis: summary of a report for the National Eczema Association. J Invest Dermatol 2017; 137: 26-30.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2016.07.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2016.07.012

Chan TC, Lin YC, Cho YT, Tang CH, Chu CY. Impact of atopic dermatitis on work and activity impairment in Taiwan. Acta Derm Venereol 2021; 101: adv00556.

https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3918 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3918

Nutten S. Atopic dermatitis: global epidemiology and risk factors. Ann Nutr Metab 2015; 66: 8-16.

https://doi.org/10.1159/000370220 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000370220

Mei-Yen Yong A, Tay YK. Atopic dermatitis: racial and ethnic differences. Dermatol Clin 2017; 35: 395-402.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2017.02.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2017.02.012

Bickers DR, Lim HW, Margolis D, Weinstock MA, Goodman C, Faulkner E, et al. The burden of skin diseases: 2004 a joint project of the American Academy of Dermatology Association and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006; 55: 490-500.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2006.05.048 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2006.05.048

Fivenson D, Arnold RJ, Kaniecki DJ, Cohen JL, Frech F, Finlay AY. The effect of atopic dermatitis on total burden of illness and quality of life on adults and children in a large managed care organization. J Manag Care Pharm 2002; 8: 333-342.

https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2002.8.5.333 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2002.8.5.333

Kim C, Park KY, Ahn S, Kim DH, Li K, Kim DW, et al. Economic impact of atopic dermatitis in Korean patients. Ann Dermatol 2015; 27: 298-305.

https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2015.27.3.298 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2015.27.3.298

Ellis CN, Drake LA, Prendergast MM, Abramovits W, Boguniewicz M, Daniel CR, et al. Cost of atopic dermatitis and eczema in the United States. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002; 46: 361-370.

https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.120528 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.120528

Shrestha S, Miao R, Wang L, Chao J, Yuce H, Wei W. Burden of atopic dermatitis in the United States: analysis of Healthcare Claims Data in the Commercial, Medicare, and Medi-Cal Databases. Adv Ther 2017; 34: 1989-2006.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-017-0582-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-017-0582-z

Ngamphaiboon J, Kongnakorn T, Detzel P, Sirisomboonwong K, Wasiak R. Direct medical costs associated with atopic diseases among young children in Thailand. J Med Econ 2012; 15: 1025-1035.

https://doi.org/10.3111/13696998.2012.698671 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3111/13696998.2012.698671

Lee EM, Cho YT, Hsieh WT, Chan TC, Shen D, Chu CY, et al. Healthcare utilization and costs of atopic dermatitis in Taiwan. J Formos Med Assoc 2022; 121: 1963-1971.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2022.01.028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2022.01.028

Zink AGS, Arents B, Fink-Wagner A, Seitz IA, Mensing U, Wettemann N, et al. Out-of-pocket costs for individuals with atopic eczema: a cross-sectional study in nine European countries. Acta Derm Venereol 2019; 99: 263-267.

https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3102 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3102

Jenner N, Campbell J, Marks R. Morbidity and cost of atopic eczema in Australia. Australas J Dermatol 2004; 45: 16-22.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-0960.2004.00046.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-0960.2004.00046.x

Launois R, Ezzedine K, Cabout E, Reguai Z, Merrhand S, Heas S, et al. Importance of out-of-pocket costs for adult patients with atopic dermatitis in France. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2019; 33: 1921-1927.

https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15581 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15581

Andersen L, Nyeland ME, Nyberg F. Increasing severity of atopic dermatitis is associated with a negative impact on work productivity among adults with atopic dermatitis in France, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S.A. Br J Dermatol 2020; 182: 1007-1016.

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.18296 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.18296

Table 50 from Manpower Utilization Survey, 2018. National Statistics, R.O.C. (Taiwan). [cited 2020 Jul 9]. Available from: https://www.stat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=43604&ctNode=3579&mp=4.

Latest Indicators of GDP at current prices, 2018. National Statistics, R.O.C. (Taiwan). [cited 2020 May 30]. Available from: https://eng.stat.gov.tw/point.asp?index=1.

Chen KC, Hung ST, Yang CW, Tsai TF, Tang CH. The economic burden of psoriatic diseases in Taiwan. J Dermatol Sci 2014; 75: 183-189.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdermsci.2014.05.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdermsci.2014.05.012

GPD per capita - United States (2002). The World Bank. [cited 2020 May 30]. Available from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP. PCAP.CD?locations=US.

Latest Indicators of GDP per capita, 2018. National Statistics, R.O.C. (Taiwan). [cited 2020 May 30]. Available from: https://eng.stat.gov.tw/point.asp?index=1.

Additional Files

Published

2023-02-14

How to Cite

Lee, E. M., Cho, Y.-T., Chan, T. C., Shen, D., Chu, C.-Y., & Tang, C.-H. (2023). Economic Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in Taiwan. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 103, adv00866. https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v103.4556

Issue

Section

Articles

Categories