Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis experience Greater Burden of bullying: JAMA.

Written By : Aditi |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2023-11-14T08:30:33+05:30 | Updated On 14 Nov 2023 10:43 AM IST

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin condition characterized by recurrent eczematous lesions and intense pruritus. Such patients often experience physical and emotional limitations. This chronic inflammatory condition impacts personal and professional fulfillment.

A recent study published in JAMA Dermatology mentioned that Adolescents who have atopic dermatitis experience greater prevalence and frequency of bullying compared to those without the condition.

In this cross-sectional study, a team of researchers compared the prevalence and frequency of bullying among US adolescents aged 12-17 years with/without atopic dermatitis. They analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey to examine this association.

Adolescents with skin diseases have reported appearance-based bullying. With greater frequency, this is associated with depression, suicidality, and poor quality of life. In the present study, researchers hypothesized that AD would be associated with increased prevalence and frequency of bullying experiences.

Key findings from the study are:

11.9 per cent of the 3,207 adolescents had current Atopic dermatitis.

Adolescents with AD had a higher prevalence of experiencing bullying compared to those without AD (33.2 versus 19.0 per cent). The percentage of cyberbullying was 9.1 versus 5.8 per cent.

Adolescents with skin disease were more likely to report bullying experiences, and those with AD had greater odds of experiencing cyberbullying. However, the link between AD and cyberbullying diminished when adjusting for atopic comorbidities.

Adolescents with AD are at higher risk of being bullied, have fewer friends and have reduced involvement in school and extracurricular activities.

More extensive studies are needed for more understanding of bullying and AD. Clinicians, families, and schools need to address this issue and monitor bullying among adolescents with a history of AD.

Reference:

Cheng A, Wan J, Chen SC, Yeung H. Atopic Dermatitis and Bullying Among US Adolescents. JAMA Dermatol. Published online October 25, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2023.4138

JAMA Dermatologyadolescentsbullyingcyberbullyingatopic dermatitis

Source : JAMA Dermatology

Aditi

BDS, MDS in Periodontics and Implantology

Dr. Aditi Yadav is a BDS, MDS in Periodontics and Implantology. She has a clinical experience of 5 years as a laser dental surgeon. She also has a Diploma in clinical research and pharmacovigilance and is a Certified data scientist. She is currently working as a content developer in e-health services. Dr. Yadav has a keen interest in Medical Journalism and is actively involved in Medical Research writing.

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751