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PRINTER'S NO. 4261
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
1168
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY TAI, NEILSON, BIZZARRO, HILL-EVANS, RYAN,
LONGIETTI, BURNS, DiGIROLAMO, THOMAS, CALTAGIRONE, DAVIS,
BOBACK, READSHAW, MILLARD, YOUNGBLOOD AND WARREN,
OCTOBER 16, 2018
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 16, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2018 as "Eczema Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Eczema refers to a set of skin conditions that cause
red, itchy and inflamed skin and has profound medical,
psychosocial and economic impacts on patients, families and
communities; and
WHEREAS, Eczema is noncontagious and very common, with more
than 30 million Americans having some form of eczema; and
WHEREAS, While the exact cause of eczema is unknown,
researchers do understand that individuals develop eczema due to
a combination of genes and environmental triggers; and
WHEREAS, It is common for babies and children to develop
eczema, but the condition often dissipates as a child grows
older; and
WHEREAS, Adults may also develop eczema even if they never
had the condition as a child; and
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WHEREAS, Symptoms of eczema include dry, red, inflamed or
sensitive skin, dark colored patches of skin, oozing or crusting
of the skin, swelling of the skin and severe itching of the
skin; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with eczema frequently experience
correlated symptoms and ailments such as asthma, allergic
rhinitis, food allergies, attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder, disrupted sleep, bacterial and viral infections and
hypertension; and
WHEREAS, Eczema has been tied to mental health, as research
shows that children and adults with eczema have higher rates of
depression and anxiety than the general population; and
WHEREAS, Correlated symptoms and ailments experienced by
eczema patients may restrict what they can eat and drink, affect
performance at work or school and impact self-esteem, which can
all significantly decrease an individual's quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Eczema also has a significant economic impact, with
the direct and indirect medical costs of eczema in the United
States being at least $5.3 billion per year; and
WHEREAS, The cost to the United States health system to treat
atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, was estimated
to be $314 million in 2016 alone; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with eczema often face significant
barriers to access medical treatment, including high out-of-
pocket costs and insurance requirements that delay a patient's
access to necessary medications; and
WHEREAS, While there is no cure for eczema, the condition can
be treated depending on age and severity through over-the-
counter remedies, prescription topical medications,
phototherapy, immunosuppressants, biologic drugs and certain
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natural and alternative treatments; and
WHEREAS, "Eczema Awareness Month" is celebrated across the
United States by eczema patients, affected friends and families,
caregivers and public health organizations, such as the National
Eczema Association, to raise awareness of eczema and to support
individuals who are living with the condition; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of October 2018 as "Eczema Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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