Korean J Dermatol.
1993 Aug;31(4):459-464.
A study of dermatosis and skin care in the geriatric population
Abstract
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BACKGROUND: With the development of medical science and technology, the proprotion of the aged has been significantly increasecl. Therefore it needs to be studied the fuadamental epidemiologic survey of dermatologic diseases and akin care in the elderly.
OBJECT: Our purpose was to provide clinically relevant data regaring both dermatologic diseases and skin care in the aged population.
MEHTODS: Total 172 volunteers aged 51 to 90 were enrolled in a study of 32-item questionnaire and total cutaneous examination.
RESULTS
The sex ratio of male to female of 172 elderly volunteers as 1:1.4 and population of 7th and 8th decades occupied 76.5% with their mean age 74.4. The dermatologic findings which showed higher incidence in this study were seborrheic keratosis, senile lentigines, xerosis, cherry angioma, and generalized pruritus. Through the interviews of 172 elderly, the mot fequent dermatologic complaint was generalized pruritus. As the mean age of the population increasec, the number of the population showing xerosis and complaing of pruritus was elevated(r=0.976. 0.917 respectively). And there was a significant stastical correlation between the finding of xerosis and the the presence of pruritus(P<0.005).
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that dermatologic problems in the elilerly are very common ancl further dermatologic studies including substantial medical care will be needed.
