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Eczema

from Medical topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

By
David J. De Lancy Horne  and
Elizabeth A. Coombes
Edited by
Susan Ayers ,
Andrew Baum ,
Chris McManus ,
Stanton Newman ,
Kenneth Wallston ,
John Weinman  and
Robert West
David J. De Lancy Horne
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham and Cancer Centre
Elizabeth A. Coombes
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham and Cancer Centre
Susan Ayers
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman
Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London
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Summary

Introduction: prevalence and prognosis

Atopic eczema has been defined as ‘an inflammatory disease, characterized by an itchy, erythmatous, poorly demarcated skin eruption, which has a predilection for the skin creases’ (Williams, 1994, cited in Charman, 1999). Symptoms include intractable itching, skin damage and soreness. Where it lasts into adulthood it becomes a lifelong disease where the typical pattern is of a labile course resulting in some uncertainty and insecurity. Eczema or atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common childhood condition. It usually presents during the first year of life (Barnetson & Rogers, 2002) and in 60–70% of cases clears up during teenage years, although relapses may occur (Charman, 1999). The remaining sufferers are older children, adolescents and adults with a chronic skin condition. Symptoms can be mild or severe, and if severe can have both physical and psychological repercussions for the sufferer and the whole family.

Eczema is probably the most common of the atopy diseases to come to the attention of psychologists and psychiatrists for treatment and may co-exist with other atopy disorders in up to 48% of cases (Diepgen & Fartasch, 1992). Eczema affects 15–20% of children in the United Kingdom and 2–3% of adults (Charman, 1999), with a rising trend of incidence of twofold to threefold over the past three decades (Barnetson & Rogers, 2002). A large cross-sectional survey of 715 033 children and adolescents, in 56 countries, revealed a range of prevalence rates from less than 2% in Iran to over 17% in Nigeria.

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Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 693 - 696
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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