| SKIN DISORDERS IN ELDERLY POPULATION ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN KARACHI
1FOUZIA KANWAL, 1AROOSHMA SALEEM, 1SYED MUHAMMAD SAAD HUSSAIN, 1AYESHA SHERZADA, 2MUSLEHUDDDIN KALAR, 1ANUM LAIQUE, 1SYEDA RABEEA MOIN, 1MEHWISH RIAZ, 3TARIQ AFTAB
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To determine
the frequency of skin infections and predictors in elderly patients
in Karachi.
Methodology: The study design was cross sectional,
carried out among patients who attended OPD of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,
North Nazimabad, Institute of Skin Diseases, Saddar and, Steel Town
from May 2012 till July 2012. The sample size was 210 and diagnosis
of cutaneous diseases were made by an expert dermatologist on the
basis of history and clinical examination, which was recorded on
a questionnaire which included data on the demographic profile type
of skin infection and cause of skin infection, age, gender, occupation
and socioeconomic status. Data was entered and all analysis was
conducted on SPSS Version 16.0
Results: In the Age Group 60-65 yrs, most commonly
found diseases were scabies 15.5%, fungal infections 13.6% and eczema
6.4% whereas above 65yrs the disease frequency was less and reported
as scabies 8.6%, fungal infections 5.9% and eczema and xerosis 3.6%.
Conclusion: Scabies, fungal infection and eczema
were most commonly found in both the categories of elderly age groups.
A declining trend of infectious diseases was seen when comparing
higher socioeconomic group with those of lower and middle ones.
In affluent class, the focus of diseases shifts to Psoriasis, viral
infections and pruritis instead of scabies indicating increased
level of stress and other potentiating factors.
|
