Incidence of Skin Diseases Diagnosed in a Public Institution: Comparison Between 2003 and 2014
June 2017
in “
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
”
Studysummary This study observed changes in dermatological disease incidence in a Brazilian town, with increases in conditions like sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy and decreases in others such as urticaria and superficial mycoses between 2003 and 2014. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
In a study conducted at a public institution in Brazil, researchers compared the incidence of skin diseases diagnosed in 2003 and 2014, with 1,170 and 1,078 patients evaluated respectively. They observed a significant increase in sexually transmitted diseases, leprosy, melasma, pruritus, and hidradenitis suppurativa over the 11 years. In contrast, there was a decrease in benign lesion surgeries, drug reactions, urticaria, and superficial mycoses. The average age of patients was higher in 2014, indicating a rise in skin conditions among older individuals or those related to other diseases or treatments. The study suggests the health system should adapt by focusing on professional training in Cutaneous Oncology and Venereology, as well as implementing primary prevention and education for STDs. These findings emphasize the importance of developing health policies that align with the changing epidemiology of skin diseases in Brazil.
