title: Epidemiological study of psoriasis in the national health insurance database in Taiwan.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, treatment modalities and comorbidity of psoriasis in Taiwan. A nationally representative cohort of 1,000,000 individuals from the National Health Insurance database was followed up for the years 2000 to 2006. Their claims data was used for an epidemiological study. The mean one-year prevalence of psoriasis was 0.23% for men and 0.16% for women, respectively. The prevalence of psoriasis increased more rapidly in male patients aged 30 years and over and reached its peak in patients aged 70 years and over, regardless of sex. Overall, 98.4% of patients received treatment with topical corticosteroids, while 13.1% used Chinese herbal medicines and 13.6% received systemic treatment. Patients with psoriasis had a higher comorbidity of diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and hypertension. In conclusion, in contrast to Caucasians, the prevalence of psoriasis in Taiwanese people is high er in men than in women and the prevalence increases significantly in patients over 70 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yun-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Tzeng-Ji
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pei-Chi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jaw-Shyang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jih
authors.forename: Chih-Chiang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ding-Dar
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Han-Nan
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology