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Background Very few studies have evaluated the global prevalence of pruritus. Objectives To assess its prevalence according to age, sex, ethnicity and geographic region. Methods An international cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 countries from January to April 2023. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on sociodemographics, and to confirm the presence or absence of a skin disease in the last 12 months and the presence or absence of pruritus in the last 7 days. Results The studied sample included 50 552 individuals. The worldwide prevalence of pruritus was 39.8%. The age group ≥ 65 years had the highest prevalence (43.3%). The prevalence was 40.7% among women and 38.9% among men (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between ethnicities (P = 0.14). Compared with North America (41.2%), the prevalence of pruritus was significantly lower in Europe (35.9%, P < 0.001), Australia (38.4%, P = 0.017), East Asia (40.2%, P = 0.04) and Latin America (36.5%, P < 0.001), and higher in Africa (45.7%, P = 0.007). No significant difference was found with the Middle East (40.2%, P = 0.36). The prevalence of pruritus in BRICS countries (40.3%) was significantly higher than that in developed countries (38.7%) (P < 10– 3 ). Conclusions Out analysis is limited because there is no information about the severity or type (acute, chronic) of pruritus. The global prevalence of pruritus revealed age, sex and geographic region differences, with no ethnic differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As exposure to UV radiation is the primary modifiable environmental risk factor associated with skin cancer, it remains the principal focus of most prevention strategies. Numerous sun protection campaigns have been implemented worldwide; however, their impact on the actual incidence and mortality rates of skin cancer seems to be limited. To create successful skin cancer prevention campaigns, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of individuals' attitudes and behaviours regarding sun protection. The aim of the current study was to determine and report on the prevalence of self‐reported attitudes, knowledge and behaviours regarding two of the major sun protection recommendations—avoidance of sun exposure and use of sunscreens—in an international representative sample across five continents. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 20 countries using a web‐based online survey. Findings: A total of 50,552 individuals, comprising 25,388 men (50.22%) and 25,164 women (49.78%), participated in the survey. Among them, 83.2% reported having been voluntarily exposed to the sun (for sun‐basking reasons) at least once in the last 12 months, and 47.96% acknowledged being exposed to the sun between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. The primary reason for non‐adherence was that these hours were the most convenient times (32.28%). Only 24.05% reported applying sunscreen every 2 h when outdoors. Forgetfulness was the primary reason as provided by 27.79% of participants. Males and older age groups were less likely to adopt sun‐protective behaviours around the world. Forgetfulness and the challenges posed by time constraints seem to be the biggest barriers to proper adherence. Interpretation: These findings should prompt the collaboration with health authorities and the manufacturers to enhance adherence by setting reasonable sunscreen prices and creating formulations that make their application less burdensome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatoses represent a significant burden. Patients and their caregivers can turn to social media and digital communities to exchange with each other. These public exchanges constitute real‐life data that can be analysed to better understand the patients' feelings and expectations, and the daily difficulties encountered. Objective: An infodemiologic study of public testimonies of patients and caregivers related to five dermatoses: eczema, rosacea, vitiligo, acne and psoriasis, over a 3‐year time frame (September 2018 to September 2021) in France. To identify main topics of discussion, encountered difficulties and unmet medical needs. Methods: Data extraction was performed based on a list of pertinent keywords. Web‐users' profiles were determined by a specifically trained machine learning algorithm. Encountered difficulties were identified by manual annotation based on a standardized search grid. Co‐occurrence analysis of difficulties allowed contextualization of challenges and unmet needs for each dermatosis. Results: A total of 20,282 messages coming from 16,800 web users was extracted. The main topics of discussion were 'Impact on self‐ image and self‐confidence' (23.6%), 'Generic discussion about therapeutics' (23.3%) and 'Burden of others' gaze' (12.8%). The top three mentioned difficulties for the five targeted dermatoses were similar and focused on 'Fear of/and management of symptoms', 'Impact on/and mood management' and 'Damaged self‐image'. Conclusion: This infodemiologic study highlighted the real‐life management of five skin diseases by patients and their caregivers, who turned to social networks to openly express their suffering and seek solutions. The joined analysis of the five diseases enabled a common comprehension of what it is to live with a skin disease, from a patient‐centric point of view. The specific analysis of each patient group objectified specific challenges, and main unmet medical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted in France on patients with chronic hand eczema (CHE). The study aimed to assess the perceived stress, disease burden, and quality of life (QoL) of these patients using validated scores. The study found that the severity of CHE was associated with higher perceived stress and lower QoL. Male patients and those with unilateral involvement had higher disease burden scores. The study provides valuable insights into the impact of CHE on patients' lives and highlights the need for further research and support for individuals with this condition. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the role of physical touch during patient examinations in dermatology. The study, conducted in 20 countries, examined the prevalence of touch during dermatology examinations and its impact on patient satisfaction and treatment compliance. The findings showed that about one in four patients were not touched by their physician, with women being more likely to not be touched. The study highlights the importance of touch in dermatological examinations for establishing diagnoses and enhancing non-verbal communication. It suggests that dermatology programs should focus on the importance of touch in resident practices to ensure optimal patient care. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The public perception of dermatology has been poorly investigated in Europe. Objective: To determine the general public's perception of dermatologists in Europe. Methods: This multinational, cross- sectional study was conducted within the framework of the EADV population-based survey on the 'Burden of skin diseases in Europe'. Data were collected using a web- based online survey on a representative sample of the general populations aged 18 years or more of 27 European countries. Proportional quota sampling with replacement design was used for each country. Results: A total of 44,689 adult participants responded to the questionnaire, of whom 18,004 visited a dermatologist in the preceding 3 years. The dermatologist was the second most often visited specialist among all medical specialties, with 69.7%, 72.1%, 42.1% and 78.1% of participants in Western Europe (WE), Eastern Europe (EE), Northern Europe (NE) and Southern Europe (SE), respectively, having consulted a dermatologist over the past 24 months. Most participants across all regions agreed that the dermatologist was the first healthcare provider for chronic skin diseases (61.9% in WE, 69.8% in EE, 45.7% in NE and 60.4% in SE) and for skin cancers (65.5% in WE, 67.6% in EE, 42.4% in NE and 63.0% in SE). The five most common reasons for visiting a dermatologist among all participants were: naevi check- up or skin cancer screening (20.2%), chronic skin diseases (16.5%), acute skin diseases (12.4%), cosmetic advice or procedure (10.2%), hyperpigmentation or congenital lesions (9.1%) and hair or nail disorder (7.7%). Most participants (84.6% in WE, 82.5% in EE, 78.3% in NE and 82.8% in SE) were very swatisfied/somewhat satisfied with the service provided. Conclusion: Our study findings underscore the central role of dermatologists in skin health and highlights them as valued and trusted care providers across Europe. Understanding the perceived position of the dermatologist is the first step in improving health policy development and implementation. Notably, access to a dermatologist was lowest in NE, probably reflecting differences in healthcare organizational structures or possibly cultural differences in healthcare seeking behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several large studies on the burden of skin diseases have been performed in patients recruited in hospitals or clinical centres, thus missing people with skin diseases who do not undergo a clinical consultation. Objectives: To evaluate the burden of the most common dermatological diseases in adult patients across Europe, in terms of quality of life, work life, and stigmatization. Methods: Population- based survey on a representative sample of the European general population aged 18 years or older. Participants who declared to have had one or more skin problem or disease during the previous 12 months completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire, and answered questions regarding the impact of their skin disease on daily and work life, anxiety/depression, and stigmatization. Results: The study population included 19,915 individuals, 44.7% of whom were men. Quality of life was particularly impaired in people with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and sexually transmitted diseases. About a half of participants with acne, alopecia, or chronic urticaria, and about 40% of those with atopic dermatitis (AD), skin cancers, or psoriasis reported a modest to extremely large effect of the disease on their quality of life. Overall, 88.1% of participants considered their skin disease as embarrassing in personal life and 83% in work life. About half of the respondents reported sleeping difficulty, feeling tired, and impact of the disease on taking care of themselves. Concerning stigmatization, 14.5% felt to have been rejected by others because of the skin disease, and 19.2% to have been looked at with disgust. Anxiety and depression were frequently reported by patients with all the diseases. Conclusions: Skin diseases may heavily affect patients' daily and work life, and cause feelings of stigmatization. An early intervention is needed to avoid consequences on the patients' life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) occur in 35% of patients with pemphigoid gestationis (PG). No biological predictor of APO has been established yet. Objectives: To assess a potential relationship between the occurrence of APO and the serum value of anti‐BP180 antibodies at the time of PG diagnosis. Methods: Multicentre retrospective study conducted from January 2009 to December 2019 in 35 secondary and tertiary care centres. Inclusion criteria: (i) diagnosis of PG according to clinical, histological and immunological criteria, (ii) ELISA measurement of anti‐BP180 IgG antibodies determined at the time of PG diagnosis with the same commercial kit and (iii) obstetrical data available. Results: Of the 95 patients with PG included, 42 had one or more APO, which mainly corresponded to preterm birth (n = 26), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (n = 18) and small weight for gestational age at birth (n = 16). From a ROC curve, we identified a threshold of 150 IU ELISA value as the most discriminating to differentiate between patients with or without IUGR, with 78% sensitivity, 55% specificity, 30% positive and 91% negative predictive value. The threshold >150 IU was confirmed using a cross‐validation based on bootstrap resampling, which showed that the median threshold was 159 IU. Upon adjusting for oral corticosteroid intake and main clinical predictors of APO, an ELISA value of >150 IU was associated with the occurrence of IUGR (OR = 5.11; 95% CI: 1.48–22.30; p = 0.016) but not with any other APO. The combination of blisters and ELISA values higher than 150 IU led to a 2.4‐fold higher risk of all‐cause APO (OR: 10.90; 95% CI: 2.33–82.3) relative to patients with blisters but lower values of anti‐BP180 antibodies (OR of 4.54; 95% CI 0.92–34.2). Conclusion: These findings suggest that anti‐BP180 antibody ELISA value in combination with clinical markers is helpful in managing the risk of APO, in particular IUGR, in patients with PG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]