The Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) is celebrating World Skin Health Day on 29 August 2018 with a new social media campaign.
The ‘Understand’ campaign aims to highlight the diversity of skin diseases in Australia and will focus on building connections between dermatologists and their patients.
It is also an opportunity to promote understanding of the physical, social and emotional challenges faced by patients with dermatological conditions, particularly those from regional and rural areas who may be isolated geographically or because of their condition.
Speaking of the initiative, Dr Andrew Miller, President of ACD, said, ‘Promoting awareness on skin health and supporting patient support groups to network with each other are key objectives of the campaign. People sharing photos of what skin health means to them aims to foster understanding of the breadth of skin conditions and their effects on the wider community.’
‘One of the College’s clear objectives is to ensure that high quality dermatologic care is available to meet the community’s needs,’ he continued. ‘We are building enduring and cooperative relationships with community groups to help better understand these and to guide our activities; and to work with them to shape government health policy for the future.’
Melanie Funk from the allergy and eczema support group Hands to Hold commended the drive. ‘This campaign is a great way for our patients to show how eczema affects their everyday lives,’ she said. ‘Hopefully by seeing this, others will understand what it is like to live with eczema.’
