A possible explanation for the increased referral of atopic dermatitis from the Asian community in Leicester

The population of the city of Leicester contains, in addition to the 'native' population, a large immigrant 'Asian' community originating from the Indian subcontinent, Among referrals to our department, atopic dermatitis IAD) was 3.3 times more common in Asians, We therefore performed a study based on a cohort of consecutive births in Leicester hospitals to investigate the possible ethnic difference in prevalence and to examine possible reasons for an ethnic difference in referral pattern. Parents of 1 800 children were asked at the time of the birth to allow their child to be entered on a register, A year later, parents of a sample of 499 of these children, 158 Asian and 341 non-Asian, were invited for interview and for examination of the children. A total of 413 children were examined. The overall point prevalence of AD was 10.7% (95% confidence interval, 7.7%-13.7%). There was no significant ethnic difference. However, a history of eczema in a first degree relative was found in 14.2% of Asian subjects and 35.1% of non-Asians (P < 0.0001, chi-square test). The data suggest the increased referrals to our clinic from the Asian community may result from a lower level of familiarity with AD.