Trends in Prevalence and Incidence of Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis, and Alopecia Universalis Among Adults and Children in a US Employer-Sponsored Insured Population
March 2023
in “
JAMA Dermatology
”
TLDR Alopecia areata and its severe forms are becoming more common, especially among females, adults, and people in the Northeast.
This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 2016 to 2019 to estimate the prevalence and incidence of alopecia areata (AA) and alopecia totalis/universalis (AT/AU) in a US employer-sponsored insured population. The study found that AA prevalence increased from 0.199% in 2016 to 0.222% in 2019, with 5% to 10% of cases being AT/AU. The prevalence of AT/AU rose from 0.012% to 0.019% over the same period. Incidence rates for AA ranged from 87.39 to 92.90 per 100,000 person-years, while AT/AU incidence ranged from 7.09 to 8.92. Higher prevalence and incidence were observed among females, adults, and individuals in the Northeast. These findings enhance the understanding of AA's disease burden and highlight the need for further research on subpopulation differences and trends.
