Prevalence of skin diseases in school children in rural and urban communities in the Illubabor province, south-western Ethiopia: a preliminary survey

Background Skin disease is usually the second most common reason for consultation by children in rural clinics in developing countries. The majority of epidemiological studies published so far are based on the analysis of medical records from specialised centres. These, however, account for expressed needs only and do not portray the real prevalence of paediatric skin disease at the community level. Aim To determine the prevalence of skin disease in unselected paediatric populations from rural and urban communities in the Illubabor province, south-west Ethiopia. Patients and methods A cross-sectional prevalence survey of 219 junior school children in three schools was performed. Ninety-one children (42%) from two rural communities and 128 (58%) from an urban settlement were examined clinically and asked to complete a simple questionnaire. Results Three hundred and eighty-two cutaneous findings were present in 212 (96.8%) children. Parasitic infestations, particularly pediculosis capitis, and infections, of which fungal infections affected at least one in four children, were the most prevalent skin conditions in both environments. Conclusions Community based epidemiological data are needed for monitoring early changes in disease patterns in children so that health care programmes can be expeditiously modified accordingly. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.