Prevalence of Skin Conditions in Primary School Children in Turkey: Differences Based on Socioeconomic Factors

Abstract

Skin diseases are associated with environmental factors and a public health approach is particularly important. We determined the prevalence of skin conditions and associated socioeconomic factors in primary school children in Turkey. A questionnaire for determining the socioeconomic level and a complete dermatologic examination were performed in 785 children in two primary schools in different socioeconomic areas of suburban and central Manisa, Turkey. The study included 345 (43.9%) girls and 440 (56.1%) boys with a mean age of 9.25 +/- 1.55 (range 6-14 years). Infectious skin diseases were frequently observed: pediculosis capitis in 74 children (9.4%), scabies in 17 (2.2%), viral skin diseases in 30 (3.8%), and fungal infections in 6 (0.7%). The other common conditions were melanocytic nevi (14.4%), keratosis pilaris (12.5%), pityriasis alba (12%), xerosis (11.8%), and atopic dermatitis (6.8%). Pediculosis capitis, acne, and dandruff were more common in girls. The rate of infections, atopic dermatitis, xerosis, and pityriasis alba were significantly higher in the school children with poor socioeconomic conditions. Improvement in socioeconomic conditions along with education may be needed to decrease the prevalence of some of these skin disorders in order to decrease costs related to treatment.

Superficial Fungal Infections in Children

“…It was detected at a rate of 2.5% in a Spanish study (25); in a screening, performed in 7158 children between 6 and 14 years of age in Istanbul, the rate was detected to be 0.15 for T.Pedis (26); Balci et al reported a rate of 0.05 for T.Pedis in a screening of 8122 children (27). İnanir et al detected T. Pedis in 0.5 of 785 children (28).In our country, the rates in other studies range between 4.6 and 2.6% (11,18). In our study, we detected an overall rate of 0.35% in 72 children and a rate of 14% in the group for T. Pedis, similar to Tekin et al (29).…”

“…In this study in 23235 children between 7 and 14 years, the ratio was detected to be 0.01% (26). The ratios were between 0.10 and 3% in the other studies in Turkey (12,13,26,28,31). Balci et al detected onychomycosis in a pediaric screening involving 8122 children between 5 and 16 years of age (0.018) (35).…”

Prevalence of acne in primary school children and the relationship of acne with pubertal maturation

“…Böylece prepubertal dönemde erkeklerde akne görülmezken, kızların küçük bir yüzdesinde pubertal döneme ait akne dışı bulgu yoktu. Bunun kızların pubertal gelişiminin erkeklere göre daha erken başlamasıyla ilişkili olduğu akla gelmektedir [19][20][21][22]28 . Pubertenin erken dönemlerindeki ve prepubertal dönemdeki akne, yerleşim yeri, akne lezyonlarının tipi ve tedavideki farklılıklarıyla adolesan dönemde görülen akneden bazı farklılıklar göstermektedir.…”

Assessment of clinical diagnosis, age, gender and seasonal differences of children admitting to a dermatology clinic of a secondary health care institution

“…İnanır et al investigated the relation of skin diseases with socioeconomic factors in children [4]. Serarslan et al evaluated the prevalence of skin diseases in children and adolescents living in orphanages in Antakya [5].…”