Eczema Statistics

Eczema is a chronic skin condition. The most common form is atopic dermatitis (AD). Eczema causes a dry, itchy, inflamed and bumpy skin rash that sometimes weeps clear fluid. The condition is not contagious.

Eczema prevalence

• 31.6 million people in the U.S. have eczema
• 7.3% of adults in the U.S. have eczema
• 10.8% of childrenhave eczema

Atopic dermatitis prevalence

• 16.5 million U.S. adults have AD
  • 6.6 million have moderate to severe disease
• 9.6 million U.S. children have AD
  • One third have moderate to severe disease

Eczema disparities in adults

• Eczema is more common in women (8.9%) than men (5.7%).
• Eczema is more common in younger adults than older adults.
  • 8.4% of adults 18-44
  • 6.5% of adults 45-64
  • 6.8% of adults 65-74
  • 5.5% of adults 75 and older
• Eczema is most common in non-Hispanic Black adults (8.6%) followed by non-Hispanic Whites (7.7%), non-Hispanic Asians (6.5%) and Hispanics (4.8%).

Eczema disparities in children

• Eczema is just as common in boys as girls.
• Eczema is most common in children ages 6-11 (12.1%), followed by children 0-5 (10.4%) and 12-17 (9.8%).
• Eczema is most common in non-Hispanic Black children (14.2%) followed by non-Hispanic White children (10.2%), Hispanic children (9.5%) and non-Hispanic Asian children (9%).

Atopic dermatitis burden

• 86% of patients experience itching on a daily basis .
• Most adults (70.6%)with AD report a negative impact on their mental health. This includes depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.
• Adults with AD report that it limits their lifestyle (51.3%), leads to avoiding social interaction (39.1%), and impacts activities (43.3%).
• Children and adolescents with AD have higher rates of behavioral problems, anxiety and depression, and sleep disorders.
• 15.5% of adolescents with AD report suicidal ideation compared to 9.1% of adolescents without AD.
• Over 50% of children with AD develop asthma.

Economic burden of atopic dermatitis

The total annual cost of AD increased to an estimated $5.3 billion in 2015.

For many patients with AD, their out-of-pocket expenses are $600 per year, with 42% reporting expenses of over $1,000 and 8.5% reporting expenses over $5,000.

The annual economic burden of atopic dermatitis, including direct medical costs, indirect costs from lack of productivity and quality of life impacts is conservatively estimated at $5.3 billion.66

Inpatient costs for atopic dermatitis reach nearly $8.3 million per year for adults and more than $3.3 million per year for children.65