BH07 The Socioeconomic Burden of Alopecia Areata

The study examined the socioeconomic burden of alopecia areata (AA) through an online survey of 829 UK-based participants, predominantly female (85.9%) and White (92.7%), with a mean age of 42.7 years. It found that individuals with AA incurred significant financial costs, with a median annual expense of £840 on AA-related products and services, primarily wigs (£700). Private dermatology and mental health services also contributed to costs. Over half of the participants reported improved quality of life from these products and services. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that females and those with severe AA symptoms faced higher financial burdens, spending a larger portion of their disposable income on AA-related needs. Additionally, 21% of participants reported work absenteeism due to AA, and 10.5% of employed individuals missed over 1 hour of work in the preceding week. The study highlighted the essential nature of these expenditures for individuals with lower disposable incomes and emphasized the need for health providers and policymakers to consider these factors when designing support services for people with AA. The study was funded by Pfizer Inc.