Same disease, different care

As Congress debates American health care reform, World Psoriasis Day is on the horizon. These stories from international members of the Psoriasis Action Network illustrate how access to care differs for others around the globe.

• Fatima lives in the Philippines and has psoriasis over 80 percent of her body. She has no insurance, and struggles to find work to support herself and her family. She pays out of pocket for topical medications when she can afford them.
  
  
• Ernest came to the U.S. from the Philippines, where he had difficulty finding work. He hopes to get the treatment he needs here.
  
  
• Primerose, from Haiti, described the symptoms she has experienced since age 12 to a friend in the U.S. The friend consulted a physician, who said Primerose may have psoriasis. Despite visiting "the best" dermatologist in Haiti, she is still unsure of her diagnosis and wishes to come to the U.S. for treatment—although she has no money. All the money she has managed to earn has gone to doctor after doctor, while she has gotten no better.
  
  
• Lunawang, in China, developed psoriasis in her 60's. Her symptoms have improved through traditional Chinese medicine and nutrition, but she still experiences joint pain and problems with her nails.
  
  
• Tomi is very satisfied with the Japanese health care system's coverage of the complementary and alternative medicine she prefers. She says after that one visit to a mineral hot springs famed for alleviating psoriasis, her skin cleared almost completely. The hot springs are a popular remedy in Japan for a number of diseases.
  
  
• Nyamasoka lives in Zimbabwe where he says health care is very expensive, and he goes for months without treatment.

The 125 million people living globally with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis experience a variety of levels of access to treatment and health care. One thing is universally recognized—the need for a cure.

The National Psoriasis Foundation is unable to respond to requests from outside the United States for access resources, other than referral to the appropriate international psoriasis association when available. Find out more about psoriasis support in other countries from the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations.