Dominic Sagoe1, Ståle Pallesen1, Ncoza C Dlova2, Margaret Lartey3,4, Khaled Ezzedine5, Ophelia Dadzie6. 1. Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 2. Dermatology Department, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. 3. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry, Accra, Ghana. 4. Department of Medicine, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. 5. Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France. 6. Departments of Dermatology and Histopathology, Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Uxbridge, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To estimate and investigate the global lifetime prevalence and correlates of skin bleaching. METHODS: A meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis was performed based on a systematic and comprehensive literature search conducted in Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, ProQuest, PsycNET, PubMed, and other relevant websites and reference lists. A total of 68 studies (67,665 participants) providing original data on the lifetime prevalence of skin bleaching were included. Publication bias was corrected using the trim and fill procedure. RESULTS: The pooled (imputed) lifetime prevalence of skin bleaching was 27.7% (95% CI: 19.6-37.5, I2 = 99.6, P < 0.01). The highest significant prevalences were associated with: males (28.0%), topical corticosteroid use (51.8%), Africa (27.1%), persons aged ≤30 years (55.9%), individuals with only primary school education (31.6%), urban or semiurban residents (74.9%), patients (21.3%), data from 2010-2017 (26.8%), dermatological evaluation and testing-based assessment (24.9%), random sampling methods (29.2%), and moderate quality studies (32.3%). The proportion of females in study samples was significantly related to skin bleaching prevalence. CONCLUSION: Despite some limitations, our results indicate that the practice of skin bleaching is a serious global public health issue that should be addressed through appropriate public health interventions.
PURPOSE: To estimate and investigate the global lifetime prevalence and correlates of skin bleaching. METHODS: A meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis was performed based on a systematic and comprehensive literature search conducted in Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, ProQuest, PsycNET, PubMed, and other relevant websites and reference lists. A total of 68 studies (67,665 participants) providing original data on the lifetime prevalence of skin bleaching were included. Publication bias was corrected using the trim and fill procedure. RESULTS: The pooled (imputed) lifetime prevalence of skin bleaching was 27.7% (95% CI: 19.6-37.5, I2 = 99.6, P < 0.01). The highest significant prevalences were associated with: males (28.0%), topical corticosteroid use (51.8%), Africa (27.1%), persons aged ≤30 years (55.9%), individuals with only primary school education (31.6%), urban or semiurban residents (74.9%), patients (21.3%), data from 2010-2017 (26.8%), dermatological evaluation and testing-based assessment (24.9%), random sampling methods (29.2%), and moderate quality studies (32.3%). The proportion of females in study samples was significantly related to skin bleaching prevalence. CONCLUSION: Despite some limitations, our results indicate that the practice of skin bleaching is a serious global public health issue that should be addressed through appropriate public health interventions.
Authors: Mukhtar A Yusuf; Nicma D Mahmoud; Farhan R Rirash; Benjamin K Stoff; Yuan Liu; Josette R McMichael Journal: Int J Womens Dermatol Date: 2019-08-23