Atopic Dermatitis and Hospitalization for Mental Health Disorders in the United States

Little is known about mental health (MH) emergencies in atopic dermatitis (AD) and their financial burden. We sought to determine hospitalization rates and costs of MH disorders in AD patients. We analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2012, containing a representative 20% sample of US hospitalizations. Overall, 835 AD (1.36%) and 2,434,703 non-AD (0.75%) patients had a primary admission for an MH disorder. Atopic dermatitis patients admitted for MH disorders were more likely to be younger, Asian, of black race, and in a higher income quartile and have an increasing number of chronic conditions. In multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for demographics, AD was associated with a primary admission for MH disorders in adults, including mood disorders, schizophrenia, and developmental disorders. Atopic dermatitis was not associated with a primary admission for an MH disorder in children. There were an estimated US $183,821,629 excess costs of care annually for MH disorders in inpatients with versus without AD. In conclusion, AD was associated with higher odds of hospitalization for all MH disorders and substantial excess costs of inpatient care.

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