Willingness to pay and quality of life in patients with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a frequent and burdensome disease. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) and quality of life (Qol) in AD patients and (2) to compare the results with data on other chronic skin diseases. To collect data, a non-interventional, cross-sectional nationwide postal survey on adult patients with clinically diagnosed AD was performed; socio-demographic data, clinical features/symptoms, WTP and QoL were recorded. WTP was assessed in three different approaches, including relative and absolute figures. Data from n = 384 AD patients (mean age 42.0, range 18-92, 69.8 % female) were analyzed. WTP for complete healing was on median <euro>1,000 (average <euro>11,884) and exceeded WTP in rosacea (median <euro>500) but not in vitiligo (median <euro>3,000). Mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was 8.5 (vitiligo 7.0; psoriasis 6.7; rosacea 4.3) and correlated with pruritus, xerosis and disturbed sleep. WTP and DLQI correlated only marginally (r s = 0.134, p = 0.01). In conclusion, AD patients show high WTP and markedly reduced QoL compared to other chronic skin diseases.

Association between childhood eczema and headaches: An analysis of 19 US population-based studies

“…Previous studies found that sleep disturbances are a risk factor for headaches, as reviewed in previous studies. [12][13][14][15][16][17] Sleep disturbances in patients with eczema have recently been found to be associated with shorter stature 21 and poor health-related quality of life [22][23][24][25][26] in children and poorer overall health, 3 increased fractures and other injuries, 27 and even cardiovascular disease 28 in adults.…”

Gastrointestinal Symptoms Increase the Burden of Illness in Dermatitis Herpetiformis: A Prospective Study

“…A considerable burden of illness is related to itching chronic skin diseases (11,12), but research on the burden of illness in DH is scant. Previously, a small study (n = 10) showed that DH patients' quality of life did not differ from that of healthy controls at the time of diagnosis, nor after one year of diet (17).…”

“…However, dieting is troublesome and compliance difficult (9,10). A substantial burden of illness is also related to a number of itching chronic skin diseases, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (11,12). Although DH is an itching chronic skin disease and an extraintestinal manifestation of coeliac disease, knowledge of its detriments is scarce.…”

Therapeutic Patient Education

“…Diseaserelated costs also directly affect the patients themselves or their parents. Regarding the behavior of the affected patients from the economic point of view, in particular, patients with AD are characterized by a moderate-to-high willingness to pay, as has been shown in a nationwide German study [7].…”

“…Previous studies on patientcentered care focusing on the outpatient situation close to the patients' homes revealed that in this setting, AD patients are mostly insufficiently treated [5] and show more severe limitations of quality of life than those observed in many other chronic skin diseases [6,7]. Insufficient therapy may finally result in a reduction in therapeutic adherence.…”