Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) disproportionately affects diverse patient populations, and complex factors influence access to treatment among different racial and ethnic groups.
Objective: This study aimed to assess racial and ethnic differences in AD severity and access to treatment in clinical practice.
Methods: The study included patients aged 6 and older with AD enrolled in TARGET-DERM AD, an observational, longitudinal study utilizing electronic medical records from 43 academic and community centers across the United States.
Results: The analysis included 1,928 participants: 577 children (30%) and 1,351 adults (70%), with 42% identifying as Non-White. Non-Hispanic (NH) Asian participants exhibited the highest percentage of moderate-to-severe AD at 63%, followed by NH-Black (61%), Hispanic (49%), and NH-White (48%) participants. Over half (56%) of NH-Asian patients reported comorbid asthma. NH-Black and Hispanic individuals were less likely to receive advanced systemic therapies compared to NH-White individuals, with odds ratios of 0.71 and 0.66, respectively, both statistically significant (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Despite having moderate-to-severe AD, NH-Black and Hispanic patients had significantly lower odds of receiving advanced systemic therapy compared to NH-White patients, highlighting potential disparities in access to advanced treatments for AD.  .