Atopic dermatitis and educational attainment

Summary Atopic dermatitis (AD, often known as eczema) is a common skin disorder affecting up to 20% of children. However, our knowledge is incomplete for some long‐term effects of this condition such as educational attainment, meaning the level of education a person reaches at school, university or college. AD is usually visible, causes itching and sometimes sleeplessness, which may therefore impact on a person's education. In this study the level of education among adolescent males with and without AD was compared, as was cognitive function (brain processes that allow us to carry out tasks) and stress resilience (ability to cope with stress), using Swedish register data. The study included 234,715 men who underwent military conscription assessments aged 17‐20 years between 1969 and 1976: these assessments involved extensive physical and psychological examinations including a written cognitive function test. In total 1,673 (0.7%) had an AD diagnosis. Surprisingly, AD was not associated with reduced levels of academic attainment or cognitive function. In fact, slightly higher levels of education and cognitive function were observed and appear to be explained by men with AD having parents with a more advantaged socioeconomic position, resulting in improved educational performance. However, those with AD tended to have a lower ability to cope with stress, which has been linked with adverse mental and physical health outcomes in later adulthood. Linked Article: Smirnova et al. Br J Dermatol 2019; 180:559–564