Home Allergy Major Health, Cost Burden for U.S. Patients With Eczema

Major Health, Cost Burden for U.S. Patients With Eczema

U.S. adults with eczema spent over $29 billion in out-of-pocket health costs in 2012

WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Adults with eczema have a major health burden with significantly increased health care utilization and costs, according to study published online March 4 in JAMA Dermatology.

Jonathan Silverberg, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, tracked data from more than 61,770 American adults.

Silverberg found that those with eczema paid more than $29.3 billion in out-of-pocket health care costs in 2012 alone. Compared to those without the condition, adults with eczema were also more likely to have six or more lost workdays due to any cause, more doctor/emergency room/urgent care visits, and more hospitalizations.

Silverberg also found that adults with eczema were more likely to be unable to afford prescription medicines, or to delay care due to worries about costs. They were also more likely to experience delayed care because they could not get a medical appointment soon enough, reach a doctor’s office, or had to wait too long to see a doctor.

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