BACKGROUND: In the USA, the geriatric population, almost 12% of which will be comprised of African-Americans, is expected to exceed 88 million by 2050. Data on dermatologic conditions in elderly African-Americans are deficient. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify prevalences of self-reported skin disease and skin-related concerns in elderly African-Americans, and to assess participants' perceptions of skin disease and awareness of skin cancer. METHODS: Elderly African-Americans were recruited into a cross-sectional study and asked to complete a 17-item questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 101 participants aged 60-91 years (median age: 71 years) completed the questionnaire. The majority (75.2%) of the subjects were female. The most common self-reported skin diseases were eczema/dermatitis (28.7%), fungal skin infections (16.8%), alopecia (6.9%), viral skin infections (4.9%), and urticaria (4.9%). The most common skin concerns were dry skin/pruritus (40.6%), moles (27.7%), hair loss (25.7%), skin discoloration (20.8%), and wrinkles (15.8%). Overall, 40.6% of participants reported concern about skin cancer, and 75.2% reported examining their skin regularly. However, 34.7% did not believe that people with darker skin types should be concerned about skin cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an important overview of the most common self-reported skin conditions in elderly African-Americans. Substantial age-related differences in the frequencies of skin disorders were apparent. It is important to include the elderly population within campaigns to educate minority group members on skin cancer.
BACKGROUND: In the USA, the geriatric population, almost 12% of which will be comprised of African-Americans, is expected to exceed 88 million by 2050. Data on dermatologic conditions in elderly African-Americans are deficient. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify prevalences of self-reported skin disease and skin-related concerns in elderly African-Americans, and to assess participants' perceptions of skin disease and awareness of skin cancer. METHODS: Elderly African-Americans were recruited into a cross-sectional study and asked to complete a 17-item questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 101 participants aged 60-91 years (median age: 71 years) completed the questionnaire. The majority (75.2%) of the subjects were female. The most common self-reported skin diseases were eczema/dermatitis (28.7%), fungal skin infections (16.8%), alopecia (6.9%), viral skin infections (4.9%), and urticaria (4.9%). The most common skin concerns were dry skin/pruritus (40.6%), moles (27.7%), hair loss (25.7%), skin discoloration (20.8%), and wrinkles (15.8%). Overall, 40.6% of participants reported concern about skin cancer, and 75.2% reported examining their skin regularly. However, 34.7% did not believe that people with darker skin types should be concerned about skin cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an important overview of the most common self-reported skin conditions in elderly African-Americans. Substantial age-related differences in the frequencies of skin disorders were apparent. It is important to include the elderly population within campaigns to educate minority group members on skin cancer.
Authors: Sean J Upshaw; Jakob D Jensen; Elizabeth A Giorgi; Manusheela Pokharel; Helen M Lillie; Dallin R Adams; Kevin K John; Yelena P Wu; Douglas Grossman Journal: J Behav Med Date: 2022-09-20
Authors: Young Bin Lee; Sung Ku Ahn; Gun Young Ahn; Hana Bak; Seung Phil Hong; Eun Jung Go; Chang Ook Park; Sang Eun Lee; Weon Ju Lee; Hyun-Chang Ko; Jee-Bum Lee; Hyung Joo Kim; Kun Park; Sang-Hoon Lee; Dong Hoon Song; Sun Young Choi; Yeol Oh Sung; Tae-Hyun Kim; Ja Woong Goo Journal: Ann Dermatol Date: 2019-10-31 Impact factor: 1.444