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Open Access 19-07-2022 | Atopic Dermatitis | Original Research

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Direct Cost of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Authors: Anwar Al Hammadi, Jaheersha Pakran, Mohamed Farghaly, Haytham Mohamed Ahmed, Amy Cha, Dilara Balkan, Sherif Afifi, Badarinath Chickballapur Ramachandrachar, Ashok Natarajan, Sreenivasulu Linga, Khadija Al Jefri

Published in: Dermatology and Therapy | Issue 8/2022

Abstract

Introduction

Atopic dermatitis (AD) data are scarce in Dubai [United Arab Emirates (UAE)]. Therefore, this study aimed at understanding real-world healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and related costs, specialties, treatment landscape, consultation-based prevalence and incidence, and patient characteristics.

Methods

This retrospective, longitudinal, insurance e-claims (Dubai Private Insurance—insured expatriates) database studied AD in Dubai between 1 January 2014 and 31 March 2020. Two cohorts of patients based on treatment status as the eligibility criteria were selected from 442,956 patients with at least two AD diagnosis claims: treated AD [mild to moderate (10,134 patients) and moderate to severe (3515 patients)] and untreated or on drugs not included in the treated AD cohort (10,806 patients).

Results

Across treated AD (mild to moderate and moderate to severe) and untreated AD cohorts, mean age was ~ 29 years; the majority were from dermatology (65–44%) and pediatrics (29–32%) specialty. Key HCRU cost contributors were hospitalizations and outpatient visits in both the treated AD groups. Mean annual disease-specific HCRU cost per patient was highest for the moderate-to-severe treated (531.5 USD) cohort, followed by the mild-to-moderate treated (378.4 USD) cohort, and lowest for the untreated (144.0 USD) cohort; patients with AD with any infection, asthma, or allergic rhinitis showed a similar trend. However, AD-diagnosed patients with Staphylococcus infection had the highest mean HCRU cost among the mild-to-moderate treated AD cohort, followed by the moderate-to-severe treated AD cohort.

Conclusion

This study indicated AD to be a common skin disease with a prevalence rate of 4–5% in Dubai (UAE), with the majority of patients (about 90%) being treated by specialists. However, there is a significant underuse of newer innovative therapies (including biologics). Also, disease severity (moderate-to-severe AD) was associated with high direct medical cost, which could be controlled by early intervention. Furthermore, AD treatment choice could focus on major direct HCRU cost contributors such as hospitalizations, comorbid conditions, and infections.

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Title: Healthcare Resource Utilization and Direct Cost of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Anwar Al Hammadi
Jaheersha Pakran
Mohamed Farghaly
Haytham Mohamed Ahmed
Amy Cha
Dilara Balkan
Sherif Afifi
Badarinath Chickballapur Ramachandrachar
Ashok Natarajan
Sreenivasulu Linga
Khadija Al Jefri
Publication date: 19-07-2022
Publisher: Springer Healthcare
Keyword: Atopic Dermatitis
Published in: Dermatology and Therapy / Issue 8/2022
Print ISSN: 2193-8210
Electronic ISSN: 2190-9172
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-022-00769-z

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