J Korean Med Sci.  2012 Oct;27(10):1248-1254. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.10.1248.

Prevalence of Common Skin Diseases and Their Associated Factors among Military Personnel in Korea: A Cross-sectional Study

• Bae JM
• Ha B
• Lee H
• Park CK
• Kim HJ
• Park YM

• KMID: 1778834
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.10.1248

Abstract

This study was conducted to clarify the prevalence of common skin diseases and their associated factors among military personnel in Korea. Four dermatologists visited adjacent military units and examined soldiers. A structured questionnaire that included questions about known skin diseases, demographic information, and questions for the Perceived Stress Index was completed for each participant. The soldiers that had been diagnosed with a skin disease answered one additional questionnaire (Skindex-29) which assess the influence of an individual's skin disease on daily life. Of 1,321 soldiers examined, 798 (60.4%) had one or more skin diseases. The three most common skin problems were acne (35.6%), tinea pedis (15.2%) and atopic dermatitis (5.1%). The diseases closely related to the period of military service were acne, tinea pedis, viral warts and corns. The diseases related to the amount of stress were atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and acne. The most troublesome skin diseases were atopic dermatitis, tinea cruris, and seborrheic dermatitis. These results demonstrated that the prevalence of skin disease among military personnel in Korea is very high, and that some of the skin disorders may have a significant influence on their daily lives.

Keyword

Army; Military Personnel; Prevalence; Skin Disease

MeSH Terms

Acne Vulgaris/epidemiology
Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dermatitis, Atopic/epidemiology
Humans
Male
Military Personnel
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Quality of Life
Questionnaires
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Skin Diseases/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Stress, Psychological
Tinea Pedis/epidemiology
Young Adult

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