GlobalSkin’s GRIDD Study Seeks to Evaluate Global Impact of Skin Diseases

GlobalSkin, also known as the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations, is partnering with Cardiff University and University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf to conduct a novel patient-led research initiative known as GRIDD, or the Global Research on the Impact of Dermatological Diseases study. GlobalSkin announced the partnership and groundbreaking study undertaking in a press release¹ last week.

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The study, a global research program organized by a patient organization, will not only be the first of its kind but the first to measure the burden of skin diseases on a global scale. Researchers hope the study will offer insights into the global impact of hair, mucosa, nail, and skin conditions through cumulative data and anticipate that upwards of 10,000 adults with dermatologic conditions will participate. The study makes use of the Patient-Reported Impact of Dermatological Disease (PRIDD) tool, developed in recent years to evaluate patients’ lived experiences.

"The GRIDD study is an opportunity for people with skin conditions to share their unfiltered views of the day-to-day challenges they face,” said Marc Yale in the press release. Yale is the board president of GlobalSkin.

“These individuals are disease experience experts and vital contributors in helping us gather data validating the need for improved care, better treatment options, and more affordable medicines,” he said. “By getting involved in the GRIDD Study, patients can play a key role in reshaping global perceptions around dermatological diseases, stimulating research, right-sizing health care systems spending, and moulding future policies for improved patient outcomes.”

Enrollment of eligible individuals is open until September 28, 2023. Participants will be asked to complete a 10 to 20- minute survey upon reading the provided Patient Information Sheet and providing their consent to participate. The survey is available in 17 languages, including: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (simplified), English, French, Dutch, Danish, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese.

“The GRIDD project is a milestone in collaborative research between scientists, dermatologists and patients. It is the first global research program initiated and organized by a patient organization in dermatology. Also, for the first time in history, a worldwide survey measuring the disease burden of skin diseases is conducted,” said Matthias Augustin, MD, PhD, in the press release. Augustin is a professor of dermatology and the chair of health economics at the University Medical Centre Hamburg. Augustin is a co-lead researcher for the GRIDD project.

“This is particularly important because the negative impact of skin diseases is often greatly underestimated,” Augustin said. “With this unique project, we expect robust scientific data to achieve a powerful collective voice for greater and equitable access to care for people with skin disease worldwide. In this sense, the project is a prime example of successful research in the spirit of People Centered Health Care as promoted by WHO.”

Reference

1. BioSpace. GlobalSkin launches groundbreaking GRIDD study. BioSpace. July 11, 2023. Accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.biospace.com/article/globalskin-launches-groundbreaking-gridd-study/.