Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the prevalence of adult atopic dermatitis （AD） and its associated influencing factors in Shenzhen in 2023, and to provide evidence for clarifying the epidemiological characteristics of adult AD in urban China. Methods This was a cross-sectional study based on data from the 2023 Surveillance of Chronic Diseases and Risk Factors in Shenzhen Project. From August to December 2023, a multistage stratified random sampling method was used to investigate the prevalence of AD among adult residents aged ≥ 18 years in Shenzhen. The survey was carried out based on questionnaires and physical examinations. The diagnosis of AD was made according to the Williams′ criteria during the field survey, and disease severity was assessed using the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted among the dermatologists involved in the field survey in December 2025, aiming to evaluate the difficulties encountered in diagnosing AD. Results A total of 11 997 participants were included in this study, among whom 74 were diagnosed with AD, yielding an overall prevalence of 0.62%. After direct age- and sex-standardization, the prevalence of AD was 0.60% （95% CI: 0.43% - 0.77%）. The prevalence was 0.69% （44/6 390） in females and 0.54% （30/5 607） in males. Among individuals aged ≥ 70 years, the prevalence of AD was 1.03% （4/387）. Among the 20 patients with AD who completed the disease severity assessment, most showed mild （9 cases） or moderate （7 cases） severity. The proportion of participants with a first-degree relative affected by AD was significantly higher in the AD group than in the non-AD group （13.70% ［10/73］ vs. 0.38% ［45/11 810］, P < 0.001）. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of smoking, alcohol consumption, or their exposure levels （all P > 0.05）. Among the 44 dermatologists who had participated in the field survey, 29 valid questionnaires were collected. Of these 29 respondents, 27 had also performed on-site dermatological examinations. Of the 27 dermatologists, 23 （85.19%） reported difficulties in identifying AD. Common difficulties included atypical clinical manifestations, limited time during the field survey, insufficient staffing, and inadequate participant cooperation. Conclusion The prevalence of AD among adults in Shenzhen was lower than the national average, which may be related to factors such as the demographic characteristics of Shenzhen, the use of a single diagnostic criterion, and insufficient clinical experience among physicians.

Key words: Dermatitis, atopic, Cross-sectional studies, Prevalence, Adult, Urban population