EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN COLOMBIA, 2021-2025: A DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION RECORDS (RIPS)
Author(s)
Mariana Bracho Romero, MD1, Natalia Briceno-Patino, MD1, David Castillo-Molina, MD. Esp1, Nelson Rafael Alvis Zakzuk, MBA2, Nelson Alvis-Guzman, MPH, PhD, MD3.
1Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia, 2ALZAK, Cartagena, Colombia, 3Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
1Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia, 2ALZAK, Cartagena, Colombia, 3Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
OBJECTIVES: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly prevalent disease with significant impact on quality of life and mental health. However, nationally representative epidemiological data remain limited. This study aims to characterize the epidemiological burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Colombia using population-based administrative data from a mandatory national reporting system (2021-2025).
METHODS: A descriptive analysis of AD cases registered in the RIPS database was conducted. Morbidity rates were estimated at national and departmental levels, stratified by sex, age group, and health insurance affiliation
RESULTS: A total of 1,123,245 cases were recorded. The morbidity rate climbed from 482.3 to 536.2 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2021 and 2024. Women were consistently more affected at a 1.4:1 ratio (629.1 vs. 439.4 per 100,000 in 2024). Bogotá had the greatest case volume (64,561 in 2024); the heaviest departmental burden fell on Bolívar (837.1 per 100,000 in 2021), with Atlántico also among the most affected. Children aged 0-4 were the most affected group by proportion (24.1% in 2021) and by rate (1,705.3 per 100,000 in 2024). The contributory scheme initially covered a larger share than the subsidized scheme (53.0% vs. 45.8% in 2021), narrowing to near parity by 2025 (49.8% vs. 49.3%).
CONCLUSIONS: AD represents a growing epidemiological burden in Colombia. Female predominance and concentration of cases in children aged 0-14 years align with early-onset patterns reported globally, reinforcing its pediatric nature. The elevated burden in Atlantico and Bolivar suggests regional differences potentially linked to environmental, genetic, or healthcare-access factors. The narrowing gap between schemes reflects improving diagnostic access in vulnerable populations, though structural barriers to equitable care persist across regions.
METHODS: A descriptive analysis of AD cases registered in the RIPS database was conducted. Morbidity rates were estimated at national and departmental levels, stratified by sex, age group, and health insurance affiliation
RESULTS: A total of 1,123,245 cases were recorded. The morbidity rate climbed from 482.3 to 536.2 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2021 and 2024. Women were consistently more affected at a 1.4:1 ratio (629.1 vs. 439.4 per 100,000 in 2024). Bogotá had the greatest case volume (64,561 in 2024); the heaviest departmental burden fell on Bolívar (837.1 per 100,000 in 2021), with Atlántico also among the most affected. Children aged 0-4 were the most affected group by proportion (24.1% in 2021) and by rate (1,705.3 per 100,000 in 2024). The contributory scheme initially covered a larger share than the subsidized scheme (53.0% vs. 45.8% in 2021), narrowing to near parity by 2025 (49.8% vs. 49.3%).
CONCLUSIONS: AD represents a growing epidemiological burden in Colombia. Female predominance and concentration of cases in children aged 0-14 years align with early-onset patterns reported globally, reinforcing its pediatric nature. The elevated burden in Atlantico and Bolivar suggests regional differences potentially linked to environmental, genetic, or healthcare-access factors. The narrowing gap between schemes reflects improving diagnostic access in vulnerable populations, though structural barriers to equitable care persist across regions.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH147
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
Sensory System Disorders (Ear, Eye, Dental, Skin)