Emotional Symptoms Related to Alopecia Areata Impair Work Productivity, Activity

Increases in alopecia areata-related emotional symptoms are associated with worsening work productivity and activity impairment, according to study findings published in Dermatology and Therapy.

“On average, work productivity and daily activity declined by 25% or more per 1-point (about equal to 1 SD) worsening in emotional symptoms,” researchers wrote. “To our knowledge, this was the first study to quantify this effect, confirming the relationship between emotional symptoms and economic burden and also addressing a research gap on the economic burden of alopecia areata.”

The study included 242 patients in the United States who were treated by 59 dermatologists. Patient-reported measures included the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire and the Alopecia Areata Patient Priority Outcomes emotional symptom subscale, and dermatologists provided clinical assessments of the patients.

Patients averaged a 12.2% work productivity loss and a 13.3% impairment in activity, according to the study. After adjustment for covariates, every 1-point increase in emotional symptoms was associated with a 4.1% increase in work productivity loss and 3.1% increase in activity impairment. Work productivity loss mostly reflected a decline in work performance, or presenteeism, and not absenteeism.

“These findings highlight the need for clinical management of alopecia areata and associated emotional symptoms, given potential consequences to patients’ work productivity and daily activity,” researchers wrote. “However, further research is warranted to determine whether treatments aiming to improve clinical outcomes (hair loss) can reverse these productivity losses.”

Pfizer Inc. funded the study.

Reference:
Gandhi K, Shy ME, Ray M, Fridman M, Vaghela S, Mostaghimi A. The association of alopecia areata-related emotional symptoms with work productivity and daily activity among patients with alopecia areata. Dermatol Ther. Published online December 9, 2022. doi:10.1007/s13555-022-00864-1