TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of atopic dermatitis on work and activity impairment in Taiwan
AU - Chan, Tom C.
AU - Lin, Yi Chun
AU - Cho, Yung Tsu
AU - Tang, Chao Hsiun
AU - Chu, Chia Yu
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Ms Wen-Ting Hsieh, Ms Li-An Hsu, and Mr Dereck Shen for scientific discussions during all phases of the study, and the staff of the Eighth Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, for their support.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, Medical Journals/Acta D-V. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - Atopic dermatitis has a substantial impact on work and activity impairment according to studies from Western communities. Prospective studies of work productivity and activity impairment in Asian patients with atopic dermatitis are lacking. The aims of this study were to investigate the impacts of atopic dermatitis on work productivity and activity impairment among Taiwanese patients, and to stratify the analyses by disease severity. One-third of employed participants reported missing work (absenteeism) in the preceding week due to atopic dermatitis, while 88.5% of the remain-ing two-thirds reported impaired work effectiveness (presenteeism). In addition, 92.5% of all participants reported impaired daily activities. Overall work impairment (aggregate productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism) was 1.8-and 2.6-fold greater in subjects with moderate and severe atopic dermatitis, respectively, compared with those with mild atopic dermatitis. Presenteeism, but not absenteeism, contri-butes to the majority of total work impairment in this cohort. Daily activity impairment was 1.5-fold greater in moderate atopic dermatitis, and 2.0-fold greater in severe atopic dermatitis, compared with mild atopic dermatitis. Both work and activity impairment showed significant positive correlations with atopic dermatitis severity scores (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis; SCORAD). In conclusion, work productivity and activity impairment is significantly correlated with disease severity in this Taiwanese atopic dermatitis cohort. In order to obtain a full picture of disease burden to patients and caregivers, patients with atopic dermatitis should be monitored for disease activity as well as correspon-ding impacts on quality of life.
AB - Atopic dermatitis has a substantial impact on work and activity impairment according to studies from Western communities. Prospective studies of work productivity and activity impairment in Asian patients with atopic dermatitis are lacking. The aims of this study were to investigate the impacts of atopic dermatitis on work productivity and activity impairment among Taiwanese patients, and to stratify the analyses by disease severity. One-third of employed participants reported missing work (absenteeism) in the preceding week due to atopic dermatitis, while 88.5% of the remain-ing two-thirds reported impaired work effectiveness (presenteeism). In addition, 92.5% of all participants reported impaired daily activities. Overall work impairment (aggregate productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism) was 1.8-and 2.6-fold greater in subjects with moderate and severe atopic dermatitis, respectively, compared with those with mild atopic dermatitis. Presenteeism, but not absenteeism, contri-butes to the majority of total work impairment in this cohort. Daily activity impairment was 1.5-fold greater in moderate atopic dermatitis, and 2.0-fold greater in severe atopic dermatitis, compared with mild atopic dermatitis. Both work and activity impairment showed significant positive correlations with atopic dermatitis severity scores (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis; SCORAD). In conclusion, work productivity and activity impairment is significantly correlated with disease severity in this Taiwanese atopic dermatitis cohort. In order to obtain a full picture of disease burden to patients and caregivers, patients with atopic dermatitis should be monitored for disease activity as well as correspon-ding impacts on quality of life.
KW - Atopic dermatitis
KW - Work impairment
KW - Work productivity and activity im-pairment
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U2 - 10.2340/00015555-3918
DO - 10.2340/00015555-3918
M3 - Article
C2 - 34490471
AN - SCOPUS:85116408495
SN - 0001-5555
VL - 101
JO - Acta Dermato-Venereologica
JF - Acta Dermato-Venereologica
IS - 9
M1 - adv00556
ER -