New Eczema Guide for Pharmacists

It’s Eczema Awareness Week - September 7 to 13

Download a copy in PDF format

 
During this week, The Eczema Association launches a NEW Eczema Guide for Pharmacists as well as a NEW LOOK WEBSITE - www.eczema.org.au.

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition, and it is estimated that 1 in 3 children will suffer the condition and its prevalence is increasing in developed countries.

Although eczema is not considered a serious or life threatening disease, it can severely impact on the quality of life of both the patient and their family.

A recent study showed that 'atopic dermatitis from a parental perspective may have greater impact on health related quality of life than asthma, diabetes, enuresis, and cystic fibrosis'.

Ref: Beattie, P. E. and Lewis-Jones, M.S. A comparative study of impairment of quality of life in children with skin disease and children with other chronic childhood diseases. Br. J. Dermatol. 155, 145-151 (2006)

During Eczema Awareness Week, the Eczema Association is encouraging the public to 'Ask their pharmacist’ about dry itchy skin, and to get advice on how to manage eczema, minimise flares and overcome the ‘scratch-itch-scratch cycle '.

'The Eczema Management Guide - The Role of the Pharmacist' is a new resource, and a first of its kind for Australia, developed for the Eczema Association by Pharmacist Tina Aspres and Dermatologist Dr Phillip Artemi at Dermal Research Laboratories.

The guide is to help pharmacists help patients using the five R’s in the guide:

• RECOGNISE the condition and treat eczema promptly
• REMOVE triggers once they have been identified or help minimise exposure to them
• RESTORE the damaged skin barrier with the use of moisturisers
• REGULATE eczema by helping implement the correct management plan by incorporating therapeutic and general skin care measures to minimise the recurrence or severity of flares
• Know when to REFER to the GP or Dermatologist for further assessment Pharmacological assistance is but one part of the therapeutic management of eczema.

General everyday measures like skin-care regimen and the daily use of moisturisers is the mainstay of management once the condition is under control.

To obtain a copy of 'The Eczema Management Guide - The Role of the Pharmacist' please contact the Eczema Association of Australasia Inc by calling 1300 300 182 or emailing help@eczema.org.au (please include name and pharmacist registration number in email).