article
Nurse Angela Ballard
Release date: July 3, 2024
Last updated: July 3, 2024
Mental health can be a real challenge for people with atopic dermatitis (AD), and studies have found that AD is associated with anxiety, depression, and social isolation.1-5 Because mental health is such a big factor in patients’ experiences, a team of researchers from the National Eczema Association (NEA) wanted to explore what kind of mental health support people with atopic dermatitis are getting, or aren’t getting, from their doctors. The results were recently published: Skin Health and Disease The study will be published in the journal Nature in June 2024. For more details on the findings, read on:
Research Methodology
NEA researchers conducted an online survey of U.S.-based adults (ages 18 and older) and adult caregivers of children and adolescents (ages 8-17) with AD. Study participants were recruited through the NEA website, email, social media, and the EczemaWise app. More than 950 people completed the survey.
The majority of survey participants were adults (83%), female (68%), white (67%), from urban areas (89%), and those who had seen a specialist (allergist or dermatologist) for their primary eczema treatment.
Mental health services in the survey were defined as, but not limited to, counseling by a mental health provider, cognitive behavioral therapy, social support groups, alternative mental health therapies (e.g., music therapy or art therapy), and/or mental health medications.
Key Takeaways
Key findings from the study include:
- 42% of people with AD and caregivers of children and teens with AD have never discussed mental health with their primary eczema care provider.
- 50% of patients said their doctor had never asked them about their mental health during a medical appointment.
- 64% of caregivers of adults and young adults with AD were not referred to mental health resources
- Patients more likely to be referred to mental health services include children, men, those with lower levels of education, and those seeing non-specialist physicians.
- When patients were referred to mental health resources, the most common referrals were to counseling services (23% of referrals), alternative mental health therapies (15%), cognitive behavioral therapy (13%), and peer/social support groups (12%).
- Of those who received a mental health care referral, 57% used the recommended service.
- Patients who were more likely to have not discussed mental health with their primary eczema care provider included women, those on a lower income, and those who saw a specialist (e.g., dermatologist or allergist) for their primary eczema care.
- Young people aged 18-34 said they are not often asked about their mental health, but would like to be asked.
Why is this research important?
“This is the first study to look at the mental health support people with atopic dermatitis received from their doctors,” said Jessica Johnson, lead author of the study and director of community engagement and research at the NEA.
The survey found that a significant proportion of patients were not asked about or discussed with their eczema care provider about their mental health, and furthermore, most people with AD do not receive a referral for mental health support.
“We know the emotional and psychological toll that Alzheimer’s disease takes on patients of all ages,” added Wendy Smith Begorka, lead author of the study and NEA’s chief strategy officer. “Ideally, patients and caregivers would feel comfortable discussing mental health during visits, and our research highlights an opportunity to ensure this discussion happens more consistently.”
Further research is needed to identify the most effective mental health interventions for people with AD and the current barriers to referring patients to mental health care. For example, do professionals need more training in mental health screening or better screening tools? Future research may provide a better understanding of the role patient advocacy groups, such as NEAs, play in reducing the overall mental health burden of AD.
References:
1. 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 Society. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Jan;137(1):26-30. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2016.07.012
2. Kage P, Simon JC, Treudler R. Atopic dermatitis and psychosocial complications. J Dtsch Dermatologist. 2020 Feb;18(2):93-102. doi:10.1111/ddg.14029
3. Cheng BT, Silverberg JI. Depression and psychological stress among US adults.
Atopic dermatitis. Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 2019 Aug;123(2):179-185. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2019.06.002
4. Yu SH, Silverberg JI. Association between atopic dermatitis and depression in US adults. J Invest Dermatol2015;135:3183-3186.
5. Silverberg JI, Gelfand JM, Margolis DJ, et al. Burden of Atopic Dermatitis and Quality of Life Among US Adults: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2018/9// 2018;121(3):340-347. doi:10.1016/J.ANAI.2018.07.006
