17755 Global Survey Investigating the Prevalence of Vitiligo and Vitiligo Signs among Adults in Europe, Japan, and the United States

Vitiligo is a disease characterized by patches of skin depigmentation. Vitiligo global prevalence is ∼0.5%-2%, with reported rates varying geographically. An online global survey was fielded in Europe, Japan, and the United States (US) to participants aged ≥18 years. A total of 35,694 survey participants, including those with vitiligo or self-reported vitiligo signs, reported vitiligo prevalence of 1.3% (aware diagnosed, 0.6%; aware undiagnosed, 0.4%; unaware [experiencing vitiligo symptoms, ie, white patches, loss of color, or patches of pale/white skin], 0.3%); prevalence was highest in Europe (1.6%), followed by the US (1.4%) and Japan (0.5%). Among 352 participants (Europe, n = 238; Japan, n = 34; US, n = 80) reporting awareness of vitiligo signs (mean age upon first noticing vitiligo signs, 24.1 years), 219 (62.2%) reported formal diagnosis by a physician (Europe, 63.0%; Japan, 61.8%; US, 60.0%). Among patients diagnosed with vitiligo, most were <45 years old (68.9%), female (54.1%), and Caucasian (77.7%); most had light brown skin per the Fitzpatrick scale (skin type 3; 40.2%). Dermatologists were the foremost diagnosing physicians across populations (Europe, 62.7%; Japan, 90.5%; US, 52.1%), followed by primary care physicians in Europe (23.3%) and the US (27.1%) and pediatricians/rheumatologists in Japan (4.8%). A total of 89.5% of participants with vitiligo signs reported receiving ≥1 previous treatment (Japan, 97.1%; Europe, 89.9%; US, 85.0%). This is the first study to assess vitiligo prevalence across 3 large populations in a self-reported survey. Irrespective of formal vitiligo diagnosis, an overwhelming majority of participants across populations reported using treatment to alleviate vitiligo signs.