Dubai: Psoriasis sufferers will be able to better understand the chronic skin condition during the unveiling of a campaign titled ‘Break away from Psoriasis’ on Tuesday.
The campaign by the dermatology department at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in association with AbbVie Pharmaceuticals, is timed with World Psoriasis Day, a global observance every October 29.
The observance gives an international voice to the 125 million psoriasis patients around the world by increasing understanding, improving access to treatments and building unity among the psoriasis community.
According to figures from the DHA’s Dermatology Centre, in 2012, out of 12,000 patients, 966 patients had psoriasis. Globally, psoriasis affects approximately two to three per cent of the population.
The National Psoriasis Foundation, an international advocacy organisation, states psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic, inflammatory, painful, disfiguring and disabling disease for which there is no cure.
The organisation’s research links patients with psoriasis with depression, anxiety, fatigue, suicidal thoughts and sleep impairment, as well as self-conscious, embarrassed and helpless feelings. It also links the condition to social discrimination and humiliation, and poor sexual activity.
UAE-based dermatology specialists said people who have psoriasis, a chronic skin condition marked by raised, red bumps covered with white, flaking scales, may feel stigmatised socially and emotionally.
Speaking to Gulf News, Dr Anwar Al Hammadi, Consultant and Head of Dermatology at the DHA and Mediclinic City Hospital and speaker for the campaign, said that because the condition has no cure, some patients are unable to cope, leading to depression, anxiety and rejection.
Referring to psoriasis as a ‘cycle of despair’, he explained that the condition can affect one’s social, personal and occupational life adversely.
“The campaign aims to educate the community that the disease in not contagious yet it needs community understanding. Schools write to us asking whether a child with psoriasis can swim with other children. [Yes, as it is not contagious.] Further psoriasis is associated with co-morbidities like hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol,” he said.
Dr Ashraf Redha, Consultant Dermatologist at Mediclinic Welcare Hosptial, told Gulf News that patients with psoriasis need support. “While dealing with the treatments [topical creams, oral therapy and/or phototherapy], patients may feel anxious and stressed. Stress in turn can trigger more outbreaks. Hence apart from the medical support, family and friends play an important role to provide the necessary emotional support.”
