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Uprising trend and impacts of eczema in Hong Kong primary schoolchildren
In 2021, Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong (HKU-SWSA) and a group of paediatricians have conducted a societal-wide prevalence study on childhood allergic diseases in Hong Kong. Over 2,200 schoolchildren and 1,800 parents participated in the survey, and it found that the prevalence of childhood eczema among the Hong Kong primary schoolchildren was higher than those who resided in the Asia-Pacific and Western regions.

Compared with the last population-based International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) assessment conducted in Hong Kong in 2004, the prevalence of eczema among primary schoolchildren has increased significantly from 30.7% to 41.6%. Results have indicated that children with more severe eczema reported diminished levels of physical, emotional, social, and psychosocial functioning.

Proven efficacy of the Psychosocial Intervention Programme for Eczema
From 2017 to 2022, Dr. Celia Hoi Yan Chan, Associate Professor and Deputy Head of HKU-SWSA, in collaboration with local non-governmental organizations, initiated a research named “Seeing the Invisible” – Eczema Management Parent-child Education Programme. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the psychosocial intervention programme in improving the wellbeing of the parents and their children with eczema, and examine the actor-partner interdependence relationship on the psychosocial outcomes between parents and children with eczema. The study was a randomized-waitlisted control trial, 219 pairs of parents and their children aged 6 to 12 with eczema were recruited. The programme composed of 6 sessions of psychosocial group intervention for both parents and children. After three phases with six rounds of randomization, the study has found that the impacts of interdependence were observed on the parents, and the psychosocial intervention successfully engender changes for parents toward the direction of a life with reduced stress, depression and better holistic wellbeing

Effectiveness of the Psychosocial Intervention on the Quality of Life of Children with Eczema and their Parents
After the intervention, significant improvements were observed in the parents, especially on the reduced perceived stress and anxiety level, better holistic wellbeing and quality of life. (Table 1).  On the other hand, no significant change was observed in the children group (Table 2). After attending the psychosocial intervention programme, the parents knew that they were not alone in the journey of managing children’s eczema and they learnt the self-care tips in regulating the negative emotions, which found to be helpful in reducing their perceived stress, anxiety and depression. On the other hand, there were also significant improvements in the quality of life and holistic wellbeing for the parents. For example, they are more accepting to the chronic condition of their children’s disease, less somatic complains, finding meaning in life again, and more awareness on the emotional needs of self and the children.   

Please click here to attached table.

Challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and Online “Seeing the Invisible” – Eczema Management Parent-child Education Programme
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the parents and children with eczema have a concern on social contacts and struggle in participating in the face-to-face psychosocial programme. With a better understanding on the use of digital platform, some of them even prefer to acquire the knowledge and skills through the online platform.

Therefore, in responding to the growing demand of parents and children with eczema and the challenges from the COVID-19, the HKU team will develop the first online Eczema Management Parent-child Education Programme, so that the parent and children with eczema can still access the psychosocial support during the pandemic. This online programme would be launched this summer with the aim to improve parent’s knowledge on eczema, as well as their quality of life.

Programme details:
https://learning.hku.hk/ibms/

Online registration

For the powerpoint slides on this research, please click here.

Enquiry
Online Psychosocial Intervention Programme for Parent and Children with Eczema
Ms Fung at 39175526 or ibms_swsa@hku.hk