WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- The global burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) in older adults is considerable and is expected to continue increasing to 2050, according to a study published online April 1 in Frontiers in Public Health.

Yi Ou, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China, and colleagues examined the global burden of AD in older adults from 1990 to 2021 and projected change to 2050. Estimates of prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to AD among individuals aged 60 years and older were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021.

The researchers found that the global prevalence of AD in older adults increased from 1990 to 2021 to 11,009,630 cases, even as age-standardized rates decreased, with population growth the main driver. Incidence rates were higher among women and those aged 75 to 79 years. There were positive correlations observed for incidence, prevalence, and DALY rates with sociodemographic index (SDI) levels, while a significant decline was seen in SDI-related inequalities. Increasing incidence, prevalence, and DALY numbers for AD in older adults were anticipated up to 2050, while a decrease was expected in age-standardized DALY rates.

"Globally, AD represented an underestimated public health concern primarily affecting individuals aged 60 and older, with variations observed across genders, age groups, regions, and nations," the authors write. "Consequently, targeted strategies for the effective prevention and management of AD in the older adult are needed to address the impending challenge."

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