WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) increased among children and adults from 2021 to 2024, according to a study published online Oct. 6 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Kaitlyn R. Chan, from King's College London in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the prevalence of AD in the United States using data from the 2021 and 2024 National Health Interview Surveys.

The analysis included 78,732 participants. The researchers found that the prevalence of AD was 7.3 and 10.7 percent in adults and children in 2021, and 7.6 and 12.7 percent, respectively, in 2024. The increase in prevalence was significant in children but not adults. In all cohorts, except for the 2021 children, AD was more prevalent in females than males. For both sexes, prevalence increased from 2021 to 2024. AD was most prevalent among children aged 6 to 11 years when stratified by age and decreased with age; in every cohort, there was an increase from 2021 to 2024. In 2024, prevalence was significantly higher in Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander adults than White adults. Participants who self-identified as Asian had the lowest prevalence of AD.

"Approximately 19,841,686 adults and 9,184,746 children in the [United States] had AD in 2024, up from 18,502,032 adults and 7,757,726 children in 2021, reflecting a nationwide increase that warrants further research into AD pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, and treatment pathways," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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