Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema in Adults

Importance The prevalence of chronic hand eczema (CHE) is poorly characterized in the US due to limited epidemiological data and no specific International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code, underscoring the need to better characterize its burden. Objective To estimate the prevalence of self-reported health care professional–diagnosed CHE among a quota-based sample of US adults. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study uses data from the Chronic Hand Eczema Epidemiology, Care, and Knowledge of Real-Life Burden in the US (CHECK-US), an online survey of US adults recruited via actively managed online research panels conducted between March 27 and May 19, 2025. A screening questionnaire identified participants with CHE (hand eczema lasting continuously for ≥3 months or ≥2 flares within the past 12 months). Participants also reported whether they had received a health care professional diagnosis for their CHE. Data were analyzed from May 2025 through February 2026. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence estimates were calculated for the overall population and stratified by sex, age, employment status, current residence (urban or rural), region, and race. Results Among 10 636 participants (mean [SD] age, 42.9 [14.3] years; 5355 male [50.3%]), 1019 participants (mean [SD] age, 37.2 [12.5] years; 557 male [54.7%]) self-reported health care professional–diagnosed CHE, yielding a prevalence of 9.6% (95% CI, 9.0%-10.2%) irrespective of disease severity or treatment. Among these, 772 participants (75.8%) reported hand eczema continuously for 3 or more months and 2 or more flare episodes in the past 12 months. Subgroup analyses indicated that CHE was more prevalent among males than females (10.5% [95% CI, 9.7%-11.3%] vs 8.7% [95% CI, 7.8%-9.5%]; P < .001), employed than unemployed participants (10.3% [95% CI, 9.6%-11.1%] vs 7.8% [95% CI, 6.9%-8.6%]; P < .001), urban than rural residents (10.4% [95% CI, 9.7%-11.0%] vs 6.3% [95% CI, 5.2%-7.5%]; P < .001), and males aged 18 to 49 years compared with females in the same age range (18 to 29 years: 14.7%; 95% CI, 13.0%-16.3% vs 12.1%; 95% CI, 9.8%-14.4 %; P = .08; 30 to 39 years: 14.9%; 95% CI, 12.8%-17.0% vs 12.0%; 95% CI, 10.1%-13.9%; P = .05; 40-49 years: 13.6%; 95% CI, 11.5%-15.8% vs 8.2%; 95% CI, 6.5%-10.0%; P < .001). Conclusion and Relevance These findings from a large epidemiological study estimating the prevalence of CHE in US adults suggest that CHE is a common skin disease in the US and emphasize the need for more comprehensive research to accurately quantify the burden of CHE and inform evidence-based prevention and management strategies.