L’ORÉAL GROUPE AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETIES LAUNCH GLOBAL STUDY OF DERMATOLOGICAL ACCESSIBILITY

Global Access to Skin Health Observatory to assess 194 nations’ ability to provide vital skin health services to citizens

Paris, October 17, 2024 - Today at the Skin Alliance Forum, the Dermatological Beauty division of L’Oréal Groupe and the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) announced a landmark study into the availability and accessibility of dermatological services in 194 countries. The Global Access to Skin Health Observatory is the first global survey of its kind, investigating areas such as the global distribution of dermatologists, patient barriers to accessing dermatologic care for skin diseases, and access to ‘surrogate’ skin health providers in dermatological deserts.

There are two billion people living with skin disease around the world[1], yet fewer than half have access to healthcare for their disease[2]. Currently, there is no comprehensive view of how dermatologic care is accessed and delivered across different populations and regions worldwide. This includes regions and medical deserts where the ratio of dermatologists-to-citizens is fewer than one for every million, versus the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of four dermatologists for every 100,000 people. As the world leader in dermocosmetics, L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty has undertaken the ambitious study in partnership with ILDS dermatologists to shine a light on this issue.

“This collaboration between the International League of Dermatological Societies and L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty represents a groundbreaking effort to systematically assess global access to skin health,” said Esther Freeman, Director of Global Health Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Vice Chair of the International Foundation for Dermatology. “By establishing a standardized approach, we can better understand the disparities and work towards improving care for all.”

“Skin diseases affect more than one in three individuals worldwide, posing a significant but often overlooked health challenge. Furthermore, recent studies on its impact showed 88% of people with skin disease said it negatively impacted their personal life[3], while 27% reported depression and around 29% claimed anxiety[4],” said Myriam Cohen-Welgryn, President, L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty. “With billions of people suffering physically and psychologically, the knowledge gained from the Global Skin Health Access Observatory can help improve access to life-changing skin health services by directing resources where they are most urgently needed.”

"Achieving ILDS' mission of 'skin health for the world' begins with understanding the global landscape of dermatologic care and the disparities in access across regions and populations. This exciting partnership with L'Oréal Dermatological Beauty marks a crucial first step towards this goal,” said Professor Henry W. Lim, President, ILDS. “We’re grateful for their commitment to elevating dermatologic care standards worldwide and look forward to working with them on this important initiative."

The study will be conducted in two phases: the first, spanning all 194 WHO-recognized member states to define the global, geographic distribution of dermatological care; and the second, to provide an in-depth evaluation of dermatological care amongst general population and healthcare providers in 30 countries, spanning all income levels and all six WHO regions (Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Western Pacific, South-East Asia, and the Americas).  Results will be publicly available in 2025.

For more information, visit https://skinobservatory.org/.

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