Vitiligo: Epidemiology and Economic Impact

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Epidemiology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder causing significant psychosocial burden due to lack of effective treatments.
• The need for novel therapeutic strategies is underscored by the condition's impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review vitiligo epidemiology in Italy.
• To assess the social costs associated with vitiligo.
• To increase awareness of the condition's societal impact.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed for epidemiology, supplemented by Real World Evidence.
• In-depth literature review for social costs, including a web-survey and interviews with 20 Italian dermatologists.

Main Results:

• Vitiligo prevalence in Italy increases with age, ranging from 0.19% (18-21 years) to 0.6% (>45 years).
• An estimated 152,000 individuals in Italy have Non-Segmental Vitiligo (NSV), with varying severity.
• Annual social costs of vitiligo in Italy are estimated at €0.5 billion.

Conclusions:

• Vitiligo is strongly associated with anxiety and depression, contributing to 30% of social costs.
• Social cost distribution reveals inequity, with patients shouldering 55% of the financial burden.
• The findings highlight the substantial societal and mental health impact of vitiligo.