Four decades of stagnation: a qualitative exploration of the lived experience of atopic dermatitis across ethnically and sexually diverse adults in the UK

Health inequalities and poorer clinical outcomes for dermatological conditions like atopic dermatitis (AD) are widespread and well documented, particularly among minority ethnic and LGBTQ+ populations. This inclusive qualitative study captured the patient experience of living with AD in the UK from previously unheard minority voices, and enabled comparison across a sample of ethnically and sexually diverse patients. All patients experienced similar significant challenges to accessing care and described a profound emotional impact, resonating closely with patient experiences previously reported as long as 40 years ago. Uniquely, this study reports topical concerns about AD on darker skin tones and gender discrimination that were raised by underrepresented patients living with AD in the UK.