An Updated Scoping Review of Disparities in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis

Health disparities are preventable differences in various aspects of health and encompass a wide range of inequitable outcomes experienced by marginalized patient populations. The objective of this systematic scoping review was to provide an updated summary of published research on disparities within pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) in the United States.

We performed a systematic search of full studies and abstracts according to PRISMA guidelines. Searches were developed with and performed by a medical librarian on various electronic databases for studies published from January 2021 through May 2024. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review.

Fifty-three studies met our inclusion criteria, of which 49 examined disparities due to race/ethnicity, 18 due to socioeconomic factors (SES), 6 due to region/environment, 11 due to sex/gender, and 1 due to preferred language. Disparities discussed included AD prevalence, health outcomes, and access to health care.

With an increasing focus on health disparities research, particularly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, an update on disparities within pediatric AD is needed. Examining the results of these studies can help point us to interventions that aim to reduce disparities and allow us to identify current knowledge gaps in disparities within pediatric AD.