Structural racism and its influence on the severity of atopic dermatitis in African American children

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common skin disease of childhood and is often more severe in African American than white children. The reason for this disparity is unknown, but recent research indicates that it may be due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The objective of this article was to explore the relationship between measures of structural racism and residential segregation within pediatric AD.

An in-office, online survey consisting of 58 questions spanning 5 domains (demographics, in-home crowding, community crowding, air quality, and litter) was administered to a convenience sample of 201 pediatric AD patients (age 0-18 years). Survey data were geocoded and linked to a measure of structural racism (ie, residential segregation).

African American children were more likely to live in rented homes, be in lower income families, have caregivers with lower educational attainment, and be exposed to tobacco smoke. The same factors that were associated with worse AD severity in this study were also found in published literature, emphasizing the role of social determinants of health and racial differences in AD severity. Additionally, this study found that living in highly segregated communities was more likely to be associated with severe AD in African American children.

Consistent with reported literature, socioeconomic status, race, and the physical environment appear to affect AD severity. This investigation adds structural racism as an important community characteristic that likely has significant effects on AD severity for African American Children.