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Published on: September 27, 2017
The impact of pediatric atopic dermatitis on families: A review
Eric J Yang1,2, Kristen M Beck1, Sahil Sekhon1
1Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
Insights
Atopic dermatitis significantly impacts families, causing sleep loss, relationship strain, and financial burdens for caregivers of affected children. Early intervention and support are crucial for improving family quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Family Medicine
- Psychosocial Health
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent childhood condition affecting quality of life.
- Beyond physical symptoms like pruritus, AD causes behavioral issues, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of atopic dermatitis on the quality of life of families with affected children.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the MEDLINE database.
- 3436 articles were screened for relevance to quality of life impacts on families with children affected by AD.
Main Results:
- Family caregiving for children with AD is time-intensive, affecting relationships and psychosocial well-being.
- Caregivers experience sleep loss, reduced work productivity, and financial strain due to AD management.
- Disease management involves significant family participation in special diets, avoidance strategies, and therapies.
Conclusions:
- Atopic dermatitis substantially diminishes family quality of life across multiple domains including sleep, finances, and relationships.
- Psychosocial support and early intervention are recommended to mitigate these impacts.
Background:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an extremely common childhood disease, with considerable impact on the quality of life of affected children and their families. While pruritus is the hallmark symptom of this disease, AD has been well-documented to impact patients beyond physical symptoms, resulting in behavior problems, mood disorders, and sleep disturbance.
Objective:
This literature review outlines how atopic dermatitis impacts the quality of life of families of children affected by AD.
Methods:
A total of 3436 articles were identified via an online search of the MEDLINE health literature database and were screened for relevance to quality of life impacts on families with children affected by AD.
Results:
Caring for children affected by AD can be an extremely time-consuming task that can impair personal relationships, decrease psychosocial functioning, and cause sleep loss among family members of affected patients. Additionally, AD may result in work absence or decreased work productivity for caregivers. Special diets, irritant and allergen avoidance strategies, and alternative therapies are commonly used by patients to manage their disease and require large amounts of family involvement.
Conclusions:
Atopic dermatitis can greatly decrease quality of life of families of affected children in various domains, including sleep, finances, and relationships. Early intervention and psychotherapy may be needed in some patients to address these quality of life impairments.
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