INTRODUCTION
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disorder globally, with an estimated prevalence of 31.6 million people in the United States (US) alone.1,2 AD characteristically presents with dry and itchy skin prone to infection.3 Although the pathophysiology of AD is not fully understood, it is well established that genetic predisposition, skin barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and environmental factors contribute to AD pathogenesis.4 With acute disease flares often featuring intensely pruritic papules, exudation, and peeling of the skin, AD is the primary contributor to skin-related disability.5,6 Prevalent in both children and adults, 80% of AD sufferers experience disease onset before the age of 6, with African American/Black and Hispanic children typically experiencing more severe disease than White children.7,8 Furthermore, there is a known higher disease prevalence among Black or African Americans compared to Whites, reported in 2019 as 19.3% vs 16.1% in children and 4.4% vs 2.1% in adults.9 AD can lead to considerable psychological and emotional distress, significantly affecting self-esteem, quality of life, and career choices, especially in patients of color due to higher disease prevalence and severity.7,9,10
The growing diversity in the US underscores the crucial need for inclusivity in dermatologic research, with the US Census Bureau projecting that approximately half of the US population will be comprised of Hispanic, African American/Black, or Asian individuals by 2050.11 Racial minorities are frequently underrepresented in dermatology clinical trials, including those focused on conditions such as acne, alopecia, hidradenitis suppurativa, nail psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and the majority of laser therapy applications.12-17 A gap exists in the understanding of patient representation in atopic dermatitis clinical trials. Due to the well-documented underrepresentation of participants with skin of color in dermatologic studies and the higher incidence of atopic dermatitis among these groups, our goal is to assess racial and ethnic representation in clinical trials for AD.
The growing diversity in the US underscores the crucial need for inclusivity in dermatologic research, with the US Census Bureau projecting that approximately half of the US population will be comprised of Hispanic, African American/Black, or Asian individuals by 2050.11 Racial minorities are frequently underrepresented in dermatology clinical trials, including those focused on conditions such as acne, alopecia, hidradenitis suppurativa, nail psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and the majority of laser therapy applications.12-17 A gap exists in the understanding of patient representation in atopic dermatitis clinical trials. Due to the well-documented underrepresentation of participants with skin of color in dermatologic studies and the higher incidence of atopic dermatitis among these groups, our goal is to assess racial and ethnic representation in clinical trials for AD.