Willingness-to-pay and benefit-cost analysis of chemical peels for acne treatment in China.

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies on economic evaluation of acne treatments. Chemical peel (CP), a treatment approach primarily aimed at removing acne hyperpigmentation and scarring, is gradually accepted in the Chinese market. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to detect willingness-to-pay (WTP) and to conduct a benefit-cost analysis for CP treatment among Chinese acne patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The costs were obtained from the patient's perspective and compared with benefits. The net benefits were approximated by WTP, using the contingent valuation method. A glycolic acid peel served as the demonstrated example. WTP and related information were inquired via an online questionnaire among the Chinese population. Factors for WTP were identified using generalized linear models. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) was calculated. Discounting was not considered for both WTP and costs. RESULTS: The response rate of the survey was 95.4% among the 476 anonymous participants. The average cost for three-time CP treatment was USD 383.4. Statistically significant differences in WTP among the cases were identified. The mean WTP for Case 1, Case 2, and Case 3 was USD 234.6, 222.0, and 401.7, respectively. A statistically significant association between WTP and self-reported acne severity was observed for all cases after adjustments for demographic characteristics (P<0.01). The Cardiff Acne Disability Index was positively associated with WTP. The BCRs were 0.61, 0.58, and 1.4 for Case 1, Case 2, and Case 3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients with acne in China are willing to pay for acne treatment. Although the benefits of CP treatment have not generally outweighed their aggregated costs, WTP for CP treatment was positively associated with self-reported acne severity and desirable efficacy of treatment. Individualized acne treatments are recommended to target a specific population in the Chinese market.

The Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis and Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria are Associated with Parental Socioeconomic Status in Adolescents in China.

The association of atopic dermatitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria with socioeconomic status has been little studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of skin diseases and their association with socioeconomic status in adolescents in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Central South University, Changsha, China. All newly enrolled students underwent dermatological examination and completed a survey. Socioeconomic status was measured in terms of parental education level and income. Two-level logistic regression models were used. A total of 8,226 students consented to participate. On dermatological examination, moderate to severe acne (10.2%) had the highest prevalence, followed by chronic spontaneous urticaria (2.7%), atopic dermatitis (2.5%), and tinea (1.7%). Socioeconomic status was positively associated with the prevalence of chronic spontaneous urticaria (ptrend = 0.001) and atopic dermatitis (ptrend = 0.0094). Tinea was inversely associated with socioeconomic status (ptrend = 0.025). Higher parental socioeconomic status was associated with higher risk of atopic dermatitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria, but lower risk of tinea.

Assessment of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in a homogeneous population under lifetime arsenic exposure.

PURPOSE: The psychometric property of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is underappreciated in public health settings. Our study aimed to assess the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of DLQI in a homogeneous population with arsenic-related skin lesions and symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in communities under lifetime arsenic exposure. The DLQI was measured through a face-to-face interview. Skin examinations were performed by certificated dermatologists. The intensity of itching was measured by a numerical rating scale. Reliability, structural validity, and measurement invariance were determined using classical and modern test theories, including confirmatory factor analysis and item response models. RESULTS: 465 participants with arsenic-related skin lesions and symptoms completed the DLQI assessment. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.79, and the split-half reliability was 0.77. A two-factor model exhibited the best model fit among models evaluated, but local dependencies among items were identified. The model showed good root mean square error of approximation (0.031) and acceptable Tucker-Lewis index (0.92). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed no measurement invariance across subgroups of age, gender, ethnicity, and intensity of itching. CONCLUSIONS: The DLQI had acceptable psychometric properties, but measurement invariance was not observed across different groups of participants.