Nearly 1 in 5 Canadians have eczema, finds study
A recent study by the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance (CSPA) reveals that nearly 1 in 5 (17%) Canadians suffer from atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition commonly known as eczema—and this should be a concern for employers and HR professionals, according to experts.
This is far more than an itch on the skin, warns Dana Gies, executive director of the CSPA.
“When you have employees who haven’t had a really good night’s sleep, their productivity may not be where they want it to be on a daily basis. They may need additional accommodations to support treating their condition,” Gies explains.
What is atopic dermatitis?
AD is characterized primarily by itching—severe itching, Charles Lynde, medical director & principal investigator at Lynde Dermatology & Lynderm Research, says.
“People will claw at their skin. This is itching which creates a great problem with their quality of life, giving problems around not being able to sleep properly, not being able to concentrate properly.”
The condition is now understood as an immunological disease, with abnormalities in the skin’s barrier function allowing irritants and allergens to penetrate more easily.
For employers, the consequences are clear: employees with AD may be present at work but are not functioning at full capacity.
“We often call it in workplaces that this is a severe drag on what they’re doing the next day. So it’s called presenteeism. They’re at their work, but they’re not functioning at 100%. They’re functioning at 65% or 70% because every few minutes you’ve got a scratch, you’re distracted in your brain,” Lynde explains.
Here’s how AD impacts workers, according to CSPA’s survey of over 1,000 Canadian adults conducted between June 28 and July 18, 2025:
- Nearly 50% of Canadians living with AD report that the condition has a significant negative impact on their quality of life.
- Over half of respondents (52%) feel that others do not understand the daily challenges of living with AD, including constant itching, the emotional toll, and the chronic nature of the condition, which often leads to feelings of isolation.
- AD severely affects key aspects of daily life, with 35% of respondents reporting diminished confidence due to the visible and persistent nature of their condition. Additionally, 31% experience mental health challenges, including stress and frustration from managing symptoms. Poor sleep quality, reported by 30%, stems from constant discomfort, while 24% face social isolation caused by fear of judgement or embarrassment in social settings.
- An overwhelming 79% of respondents find their current AD treatment approaches to be ineffective. Almost half (45%) of respondents rely on common management methods such as moisturisers and topical medications, but these only offer limited relief.
- While the majority of respondents (55%) would like to try advanced treatments that can provide long-term relief such as biologics, only 19% of severe AD sufferers and 4% of moderate sufferers currently use them.
- Four-in-five respondents (80%) agreed that it's critical there are several reimbursed biologic treatment options to fulfil current unmet needs, given the diverse presentation and progression of AD symptoms.
The lived experience in the workplace
"Living with eczema is not just about flare-ups and itching – it impacts every part of my life. The sleepless nights, the discomfort, and the emotional toll can be draining and even isolating," says Judy Tutkaluk, an AD patient from Shediac, N.B. "I often felt self-conscious about how my skin looks to others. Constantly worrying about flare-ups can make it difficult to fully enjoy important moments."
She tells Canadian HR Reporter that she knew she had eczema as a youth, and it had an impact on her throughout her working life—and even now in her retirement.
For employers, providing accommodation to workers who have AD is the wise choice, both in a personal and in a business sense, says Tutkaluk.
She shares: “My employer, when I talked to him, he was very accommodating and very supportive and very understanding. And he would allow me to use different types of soaps or towels. And then the last five years of my employment, at least, because I was so stressed by it, he allowed me to work from home. So I ended up working from home full time.
“And the amazing thing about it is... my productivity increased dramatically because I could work free of that kind of anxiety. It just really helped.”
Best practices for employers
Dana Gies recommends that employers “be aware of these different conditions and how they impact people and how that impacts them in their daily work and then perhaps have some accommodations for employees who may require different setup, different accommodations during flare-ups, opportunities to perhaps work a little bit more from home, that sort of thing.”
Lynde adds that workplace modifications—such as providing non-irritant soaps, maintaining clean environments, and offering access to moisturisers—can make a significant difference. He also stresses the importance of supporting access to new treatments, which can be life-changing for patients.
Previously, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board dismissed multiple grievances and a Canada Labour Code (CLC) complaint filed by a federal government worker who alleged discrimination due to environmental sensitivities.
Tutkaluk tells Canadian HR Reporter that the newest biologics available on the market have been “a complete game changer” for her.
However, “it’s not covered under my previous employer’s health plan, which was quite comprehensive.”
She says: “Now that I’m retired, it’s not covered under my existing insurance plan. I’m in New Brunswick and the provincial government has a health plan and it’s not covered under that health plan. So it really limits the availability of the product that actually works to people in general.”
Previously, the Ontario government allowed pharmacists to treat and prescribe medications for more common medical ailments.
