Patient and Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Disease Burden of Seborrheic Dermatitis in the United States: Results from a National Survey

Introduction: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease, but the physical and emotional burden of patients with SD experience has not been well characterized.

Methods: The Harris Poll conducted online surveys of US patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) from December 2021 to January 2022.

Results: Almost half of patients reported that SD negatively impacts their emotional and physical well-being "a lot/a great deal"; HCPs underestimate the level of impact on patients. Most patients with SD reported a significant mental health impact, including anxiety, depression, anxiety about interacting with other people, and isolation. Two-thirds of patients said they did not know anyone else who had been diagnosed with SD, and even after diagnosis, less than half of patients still said they did not know anyone else with SD. Nearly all patients and HCPs agreed that it was challenging to hide SD symptoms, and most patients felt embarrassed when people commented on their SD symptoms. Most patients agreed that they would be further along in their career if they did not have SD, and SD symptoms made them less confident at work and less likely to want to interact with people at work. Almost half of patients reported ever missing work as a result of SD symptoms.

Conclusion: These insights emphasize the physical and emotional patient burden associated with SD, impacting all aspects of patients' lives. Graphical abstract available for this article.