title: Racial disparities in the impact of chronic pruritus: A cross-sectional study on quality of life and resource utilization in United States veterans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic pruritus has a lifetime prevalence of up to 26% in the worldwide population. Research has shown that the incidence and quality of life (QoL) impact of chronic pruritus varies by race.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to explore the effects of race on specific pruritus-related QoL factors and resource utilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional, national telephone survey of 6000 US veterans randomly sampled from the Veterans Hospital Patient Database. We administered surveys to assess QoL impact and resource utilization of chronic pruritus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nonwhites overall reported higher levels of burning and scarring with their pruritus. African Americans had a significantly greater emotional impact and use of special soaps, lotions, and clothes. African Americans were also more likely to visit their primary care provider for pruritus (P = .03), yet had similar numbers of specialty care visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because our sample was drawn from a veteran population, generalizability may be limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicate a racial disparity in specific QoL impact and resource utilization from pruritus. These findings merit further exploration into explanations, such as access, communication, trust of the medical system, and biologic differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Greenwich Hospital, Yale New Haven Health, Greenwich, Connecticut; Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Fiona M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Kevin Man Hin
authors.initials: KMH
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Kuang-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Women's Center of Excellence for Specialty Care Education, Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wrenn
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Division of Dermatology, Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia. Electronic address: schen2@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Suephy C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States; D058014:Veterans Health; D044465:White People
keywords: African American; chronic pruritus; pruritus; quality of life; racial disparity; resource utilization; veterans