The Economic Burden of Alopecia Areata: Evidence from a Survey in Norway and Sweden.
| Title: | The Economic Burden of Alopecia Areata: Evidence from a Survey in Norway and Sweden. |
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| Authors: | Löfvendahl S; The Swedish Institute for Health Economics, Lund, Sweden; Division of Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.; Hjalte F; The Swedish Institute for Health Economics, Lund, Sweden.; Haggren I; The Swedish Institute for Health Economics, Lund, Sweden; Department of Economics, Lund University School of Economics and Management, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.; Engdal Hamre EA; The Norwegian Alopecia Association, Oslo, Norway.; Balieva F; Department of Dermatology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway; Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.; Schmitt-Egenolf M; Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. marcus.schmitt-egenolf@umu.se. |
| Source: | Acta dermato-venereologica [Acta Derm Venereol] 2026 Feb 16; Vol. 106. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Feb 16. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: MJS Publishing Country of Publication: Sweden NLM ID: 0370310 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1651-2057 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00015555 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Acta Derm Venereol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2024- : Uppsala, Sweden : MJS Publishing; Original Publication: Stockholm : Acta dermato-venereologica |
| MeSH Terms: | Alopecia Areata*/economics ; Alopecia Areata*/therapy ; Alopecia Areata*/diagnosis ; Alopecia Areata*/epidemiology ; Cost of Illness* ; Health Expenditures* ; Health Care Costs*; Norway/epidemiology ; Sweden/epidemiology ; Sick Leave/economics ; Presenteeism/economics ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; Efficiency ; Health Care Surveys ; Time Factors ; Drug Costs |
| Abstract: | While international studies have assessed the economic burden of alopecia areata (AA), its societal costs have not been quantified in a Nordic context. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among adults with self-reported AA in Norway and Sweden, recruited via a patient organization and social media. A total of 329 respondents (263 from Norway, 66 from Sweden) provided information on demographics, disease characteristics, healthcare utilization, out-of-pocket expenses, productivity losses and treatment satisfaction. Costs were estimated from a societal perspective, combining direct medical, direct non-medical and indirect costs from reduced productivity. The annual mean total cost of AA was €7,677 in Norway and €12,582 in Sweden, with indirect costs (61-64% of the total) as the largest component, primarily driven by presenteeism and long-term sick leave. A notable finding is the significant out-of-pocket costs. In Norway, individuals paid about 65% of direct costs themselves, in Sweden about 50%. Dissatisfaction with treatment and healthcare support was widespread. Only a minority received systemic therapies, and treatment frequency with Janus kinase inhibitors was low, likely due to lack of reimbursement. AA imposes a considerable societal and individual economic burden in Norway and Sweden, underscoring the need for better therapies, healthcare support and policy recognition of its impact. |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260217 Date Completed: 20260217 Latest Revision: 20260219 |
| Update Code: | 20260219 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12909710 |
| DOI: | 10.2340/actadv.v106.adv-2025-0114 |
| PMID: | 41699904 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article