New College-Age Psoriasis Awareness Campaign (CAPAC) Highlights The Need To Become Better Educated About Skin Disease

Main Category: Eczema / Psoriasis
Article Date: 16 Oct 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The National Psoriasis Foundation, the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, today announced the national launch of its College-Age Psoriasis Awareness Campaign (CAPAC). The campaign was created to educate young adults ages 18 to 25 about the physical, emotional and social impact of psoriasis, a noncontagious, common and chronic disease. CAPAC was timed to coincide with the fall season when many young men and women are transitioning into active new lifestyles, be it in the workplace, at home or on a college campus.

CAPAC focuses on this age group because psoriasis frequently first appears in individuals between the ages of 15 and 25. By tackling these issues during this critical transitional period, the National Psoriasis Foundation hopes to lay the groundwork for a more informed, supportive and accepting environment for young psoriasis patients and their peers.

"Young adulthood is a critical time for people to develop long-standing relationships and support networks," said Gail Zimmerman, president and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. "Misperceptions about psoriasis can negatively affect their comfort level with dating, participating in sports and going on job interviews. The goal of CAPAC is to educate this group and alleviate the potentially adverse social effects of psoriasis."

CAPAC was inspired by a multi-disciplinary panel of college students, physicians and advocates that convened in March 2006 in San Francisco. The panel explored the overall impact of psoriasis on young adults, and discussed the medical, social and emotional challenges that individuals face. Panelists agreed that both patients and their peers would benefit from education tailored to this very specific time in life.

A national online survey queried nearly 650 young adults with respect to their knowledge and understanding about psoriasis and the social implications of the disease. The survey generated some significant insight about young adults with psoriasis and their social environment.

-- More than an inconvenience. Six out of seven who have psoriasis reported it has an impact on their lives.

-- Significant social consequences. Common impacts of the disease included feeling uncomfortable when people stare, feeling people are avoiding them and having others think they are contagious.

-- A contagious myth. People who know someone with psoriasis are more likely to know the disease is not contagious than those who do not know someone with psoriasis.

Through the education and awareness goals of CAPAC, the general public can gain an increased understanding of psoriasis and its effects on an individual. By helping people recognize how the disease affects those who have it, CAPAC will create a more thoughtful and accepting environment.

CAPAC will kick off with a series of television news segments airing across the country. These segments will feature Steven Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., professor of dermatology, pathology and public health sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and David Vartanian, a 21-year-old psoriasis patient and California State University Fresno senior. Each airing will provide personal commentary about the far-reaching physical, social and psychological consequences of psoriasis, as well as showcase the availability of the CAPAC brochure and other National Psoriasis Foundation educational materials on their Web site, http://www.psoriasis.org.

"Having psoriasis can really affect your self-esteem as a young adult," says Vartanian. "I am proud to be working with the National Psoriasis Foundation to get the facts out there so that more young people can better understand what it's really like to live with the disease."

According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, a genetic disease of the immune system. Treatment options range from topical medications to light therapy to systemic medications. A dermatologist can work with the patient to find the best treatment for the patient's specific needs and disease severity.

"There have been significant advances in medications to treat psoriasis, which can help patients to live their lives in the same way as other young adults," says Dr. Feldman. "A variety of effective treatments exist for psoriasis. Topicals are usually the first line of defense in treating psoriasis and are commonly prescribed in combination with other treatments. A number of convenient, easy-to-use topical treatments can be applied to the skin as a lotion, spray, cream, ointment, solution, foam or shampoo to slow down cell growth and reduce inflammation. New forms of ultraviolet light treatment and systemic medications (pills and injections) are available for patients who need more than just topical medicines."

To raise awareness in the 18 to 25 age group, the National Psoriasis Foundation offers a brochure with information about psoriasis, and how to manage the condition and educate others who are not familiar with the disease.

"Psoriasis 101: Learning to Live in the Skin You're In" outlines several ways to cope with the disease:

-- Discuss treatment options with a dermatologist. Prescription or over-the-counter? Spray, ointment or cream? Light treatment or injections?

-- Expect some trial and error. It may take some time and effort to find what works best, as a particular treatment may be appropriate for one person but not another.

-- Get to know the triggers of your psoriasis. Learn how emotional stress, injury to the skin and certain medications may affect psoriasis.

About psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, noncontagious disease that results when faulty signals in the immune system prompt skin cells to regenerate too quickly, causing red, scaly lesions that crack and bleed. It often affects the elbows, knees, scalp and torso but can appear anywhere on the body. Ten percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. Psoriasis can affect anyone at any age, including children. There is no cure yet for psoriasis.

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the leading patient-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life millions of Americans with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, and their families. The Psoriasis Foundation focuses on education, advocacy and research toward better treatments and a cure. For more information, please call the National Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit http://www.psoriasis.org.

For more information on the College-Age Psoriasis Awareness Campaign or to get a free brochure - "Psoriasis 101: Learning to Live in the Skin You're In" -please visit the National Psoriasis Foundation Web site at http://www.psoriasis.org or call 800.723.9166.

The College-Age Psoriasis Awareness Campaign (CAPAC) has been made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Galderma Laboratories.

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