World Psoriasis Day

Oct. 29, 2007, World Psoriasis Day is a global effort to raise public awareness about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and the seriousness of these diseases.

 

Psoriasis affects approximately 125 million people—and is often dismissed as a cosmetic skin condition. In reality, psoriasis is a serious, genetic disease of the immune system that researchers have linked to other serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and obesity. Psoriasis is not contagious, but for those who have it, the disease can be both a physical and emotional burden.

Aims And Purposes Of World Psoriasis Day, 29th October

World Psoriasis Day is an evolving project with more and more individuals, experts and patient associations from around the world getting involved over time. The aims for WPD were defined by the Steering Committee as follows:

1. Raise awareness about psoriasis: World Psoriasis Day communication and activities should for example explain that psoriasis is a non contagious skin condition that can affect anybody and that people with psoriasis are really no different inside from anyone else. The World Psoriasis Day project should also aim to dispel myths about the condition.

2. Encourage healthcare decision makers to give psoriasis suffers better access to the most appropriate therapies for their condition: World Psoriasis Day should aim to encourage healthcare decision makers for example governments, physicians, carers and all those responsible for psoriasis care/ medicines to allow psoriasis sufferers access to all the most appropriate therapies. For too long psoriasis has not been seen as a priority with patients not always getting access to the most appropriate therapies for their condition.

3. Deliver relevant information and knowledge to interested parties: World Psoriasis Day should aim to provide information and knowledge to those who are affected by psoriasis/ psoriatic arthritis as well as the general public, in order that people can be better informed about the condition, develop a better understanding, enabling them to be more confident to speak about it.

4. Provide a patient voice platform: World Psoriasis Day should provide a platform from which the 'patient voice' can be heard and from which people with psoriasis can be encouraged to speak out about their needs and wants.

Dr Marwah