Economic Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in Taiwan

Atopic dermatitis is a prevalent inflammatory skin di-sease that manifests clinically as pruritus and eczema. Severe forms of atopic dermatitis can be chronic and relapsing or associated with other dermatological com-plications and comorbidities, resulting in lifelong im-pacts across multiple aspects for patients. This study was conducted to calculate the atopic dermatitis -re-lated economic burden in Taiwan. First, the out-of-pocket costs incurred by 200 patients with atopic der-matitis were estimated using a specifically designed questionnaire. Secondly, work impairment was con-verted 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 treat ment for atopic dermatitis.

Automated summary

This study aimed to calculate the economic burden of atopic dermatitis in Taiwan. The out-of-pocket costs of 200 patients were estimated using a questionnaire, and work impairment was converted into quantifiable costs. The costs reimbursed by the Taiwan National Health Insurance were included in the final calculation. The estimated economic burden of atopic dermatitis for patients in Taiwan in 2018 was NT$ 37.90 billion, which accounts for 0.207% of Taiwan's gross domestic product. This substantial burden indicates the need for more effective and equitable treatment for atopic dermatitis.