More than skin deep: dermatitis and general health in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Inflammatory skin diseases are among the 50 most burdensome diseases worldwide, and they are increasingly recognized as systemic disorders that impact general health. For example, the most common inflammatory skin disease, atopic dermatitis (also known as eczema), affects children and adults of all ages and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, fractures, anxiety and depression, and even a small increased risk of mortality. Multiple studies have also shown that atopic dermatitis impacts not only overall health but also life satisfaction, productivity, and health utility. Given the growing recognition that inflammatory skin disease may be more than ‘skin deep’, we sought to understand how general symptoms of skin inflammation, termed dermatitis, are associated with a validated measure of general health and health-related quality of life in a large population-based cohort.