The Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa Atlas (GHiSA), an international non-profit organization, has produced its first report on Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS).
This comprehensive overview of HS was produced with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS), an organization of 214 members from 103 countries representing over 200,000 dermatologists from around the world.
The report explores various aspects of HS, including diagnosis and disease management, existing challenges and barriers to treatment, quality of life effects for patients, and global efforts to improve understanding and management of the disease.
Speaking to Dermatology Times, Henry Lim, MD, dermatologist at Henry Ford Hospital, notes that one of the important things the report highlights is the psychological and disability burden of the patients. He states that there is a “need for education for health care providers, policymakers, as well as the general public about this disease, so that people would understand the disease more, policymakers will be able to provide resources to manage these diseases, to treat diseases, so the patient would have access to medication.” Dr. Lim mentions that the report also points out how much we have advanced in terms of our understanding of HS over the last 10 to 15 years.
In speaking about how clinicians can use the insights in this report to improve patient outcomes, Dr. Lim states that not all health care providers may be aware of HS. This report can therefore bring it to their attention and increase awareness. Furthermore, it can help providers familiarize themselves with HS so that they know how the disease manifests and, if necessary, seek experts in the field to help their patients.
According to Professor Gregor Jemec, Professor of Dermatology at the University of Copenhagen and Chair of GHiSA,
"HS is a high-impact disease yet one that is under-recognised, frequently misdiagnosed and, as a result, neglected. In producing this report, GHiSA is taking a first step towards plugging the knowledge gap in order to encourage greater recognition of the severe impact it has on patients and to accelerate the development of further therapeutic options. We hope the report will demonstrate to stakeholders that strong and urgent action is required to tackle HS and that their involvement is required to improve the lives of patients worldwide. We’re grateful to all those who have helped us to deliver this report, in particular the ILDS. While there is still much work to do, its completion is a major milestone. We hope it will be a valuable resource for everyone working in this area and pave the way for a brighter future for all those living with HS."
