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Skin diseases among schoolchildren in Ghana, Gabon, and Rwanda
Author(s) -
Hogewoning Arjan,
Amoah Abena,
Bavinck Jan Nico Bouwes,
Boakye Daniel,
Yazdanbakhsh Maria,
Adegnika Akim,
Smedt Stefan,
Fonteyne Yannick,
Willemze Rein,
Lavrijsen Adriana
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05822.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pyoderma , tinea capitis , socioeconomic status , disease , population , cross sectional study , dermatology , environmental health , pediatrics , pathology
Objectives Skin diseases, especially skin infections, among schoolchildren in A frica can be a major health problem. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalences of skin diseases among children in rural and urban schools in three different A frican countries and to study the influence of socioeconomic level. Methods Cross‐sectional, population‐based studies were performed in G hana, G abon, and R wanda. Point prevalences of skin diseases were estimated on the basis of physical examination by at least one dermatologist. Results A total of 4839 schoolchildren were seen. The overall prevalence of schoolchildren with any skin disease was high and amounted to 34.6% and 42.0% in two G hanaian studies, 45.8% in G abon, and 26.7% in R wanda. In children with skin diseases, skin infections represented the greatest proportion of disease, accounting for 14.7% and 17.6% of skin disease in the G hanaian studies, and 27.7% and 22.7% in G abon and R wanda, respectively. Diseases with the highest prevalence were tinea capitis and bacterial skin infections, especially in rural areas and in schools serving children living at lower socioeconomic levels. Conclusions The prevalences of skin diseases among A frican schoolchildren were high. Skin infections such as tinea capitis and pyoderma predominated.