Tens of millions of people across the United States are affected by skin conditions, but not all of them can access the doctors and medications they need. So explains a new white paper from the Derma Care Access Network, an advocacy group that encourages informed policy on access to dermatological care.
As “Overcoming Barriers to Dermatological Treatment” explains, skin conditions vary from the cosmetic to the deadly. The paper calls out in particular:
- Atopic dermatitis (commonly known as eczema), which affects more than 30 million Americans
- Psoriasis, which affects 7.5 million
- Acne, which affects as many as 50 million people
- Chronic urticarial, which causes red, itchy welts, and which affects 15-20% of the population
- Skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States, which affects 5.4 million people and has an estimated 9,500 diagnoses every day.
Patients with skin conditions may also have comorbidities such as chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, renal disease and rheumatic disease. But obtaining treatment can be difficult.
Read more at Institute for Patient Access.