NZ Survey of Psoriasis Reveals Management & Care Shortfalls

MEDIA RELEASE

Largest New Zealand Survey of People with Psoriasis Reveals Management and Care Shortfalls

New research findings and educational booklets for New Zealanders with psoriasis unveiled

Anniversary milestone for New Zealands only psoriasis patient support group

WELLINGTON, EMBARGOED 29 October 2013 To coincide with World Psoriasis Day today AbbVie has released the results of the 2013 Psoriasis Uncovered Survey1, one of the largest surveys of New Zealanders with psoriasis.

The results reveal the social challenges of living with a chronic skin condition and uncover low levels of access to specialist care.

Fifty per cent of survey respondents who reported living with moderate psoriasis said they have never received care from a dermatologist for management of their condition.

Of survey participants with severe psoriasis, one in five (21%) have never seen a dermatologist for their condition.1 Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease it is caused by overactivity of the immune system in the skin.

It most frequently develops in young adults and continues throughout their life, with one in 50 New Zealand adults currently estimated to be living with the disease2,3 The most common form of psoriasis causes raised, inflamed, scaly, red skin lesions, known as plaques.

Nearly all (98%) people surveyed reported experiencing flaking skin, 70% experienced bleeding and 61% experienced pain associated with a flare of psoriasis1.

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NZ Survey of Psoriasis Reveals Management & Care Shortfalls