Atopic eczema is one of the most prevalent skin diseases in the world and one of the most under-recognised. Often dismissed as “just a skin condition,” patients’ needs are not addressed in a supportive and timely manner.
#InsideAtopicEczema
This year’s theme was Inside Atopic Eczema to go beyond the surface of understanding the disease. With GlobalSkin and our members, EFA explored five major burdens of the disease: the burden of extreme physical pain and itch, burden on families and caregivers, burden on finances, burden on mental health, and burden of daily management. Through these areas, we called on healthcare professionals, health policy decision makers and all stakeholders help us build awareness of the burdens of atopic eczema!
An advocacy toolkit to amplify patient voices
EFA and GlobalSkin developed a toolkit for patient organisations and individuals to adapt for their own campaigns. The 2022 toolkit provided campaign materials including letter and press release templates, ready-to-use social media materials and messages, and even blank social media cards for organisations to customise with own personalised message. The toolkit and materials are available in English, French, Spanish, Serbian and Turkish.
Inside Out Action
As part of our campaign to show the inside of atopic eczema, EFA and GlobalSkin led a digital campaign to make atopic eczema visible. When people living with atopic eczema face itching and discomfort every day, even wearing clothes can become unbearable on their sensitive skin. That is why together we invited patients, carers, and healthcare professionals and others to join the action by wearing an item of clothing inside out and to post their photos and videos to social media with the tags #InsideAtopicEczema and #AtopicEczemaDay.
World Atopic Eczema Day was established in 2018 to highlight this often overlooked and misunderstood disease. Each year on 14th September, EFA and the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations (GlobalSkin) coordinate a global campaign to support patients in their everyday struggle. The atopic eczema community comes together to raise awareness and speak up about the burden it has on patients and caregivers, and call for care and treatment that is reflective of the multi-dimensional nature of the disease.
More information about World Atopic Eczema Day and all its editions, available on EFA website.