Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and overproduction of skin cells, resulting in skin rashes and raised, scaly patches. Psoriatic arthritis is another autoimmune disease that is often associated with psoriasis and causes inflammation in the joints, resulting in stiffness and pain. Sometimes psoriatic disease is used to describe the immune response and inflammation that cause both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Of the 8 million individuals with psoriasis, up to 30% of them will also develop psoriatic arthritis. Both diseases are often under-diagnosed among African Americans and other individuals with skin of color due to differences in clinical presentation. While psoriatic arthritis occurs equally in women and men, the impact is not the same. Women report experiencing more fatigue and functional limitations, and are also less likely to respond to some treatments and achieve remission than men. Delays in arriving at a timely diagnosis for psoriatic arthritis can potentially result in irreversible joint damage.
Psoriatic Arthritis is part of the SWHR Autoimmune Network, which engages the following focus areas: Autoimmune Diseases, Alopecia Areata, Atopic Dermatitis, Lupus, and Psoriatic Arthritis.
Fact Sheets
This policy brief demonstrates how federal agencies are contributing to improved health and health care for women across the lifespan...
Fact Sheets
This policy brief reviews how the exclusion of any population from autoimmune clinical trials limits our understanding of these diseases...
Fact Sheets
This policy brief discusses the state of autoimmune disease research funding and highlight how robust and sustained for this research...
Fact Sheets
This policy brief highlights how certain coverage policies, such as prior authorization and step therapy, can affect women and their...
While it is unclear what makes someone more at risk for an autoimmune disease, constructs, such as race and ethnicity, and social determinants of health, including education level, income, and other socioeconomic measures, are known to have an impact on health outcomes.
SWHR attended MichBIO 2023 and gave the presentation “Addressing Disparities Through Patient, Provider, and Policymaker Collaborations: Women’s Health and Autoimmune Disease Case Study.”
To bring attention to these disparities and help support individuals impacted by lupus, SWHR added lupus to the Women’s Health Equity Initiative campaign this May, in recognition of Lupus Awareness Month.
This Lupus Awareness Month, SWHR is reflecting on the need for urgent action to close the gender, race, and ethnic disparities in lupus outcomes.
Alopecia Areata – Alzheimer’s Disease – Atopic Dermatitis – Autoimmune Diseases – Bone Health – Diagnostics – Endometriosis – Expanded Carrier Screening – Eye Health – Fertility – Heart Health – HPV & Related Diseases – Liver Health – Lupus – Maternal and Infant Health Disparities – Menopause – Migraine – Narcolepsy – Noninvasive Prenatal Screening – Obesity – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – Psoriatic Arthritis – Sleep Health – Urology – Uterine Fibroids – Vaccines
