1. Skin diseases among adults in Tasiilaq, East Greenland.
- Author
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Haulrig MB, Andersson AM, Maul JT, Xu J, Lwin SM, Flohr C, Hove LS, Agner T, Koch A, Griffiths CEM, Zachariae C, and Thyssen JP
- Subjects
- Humans, Greenland epidemiology, Adult, Middle Aged, Male, Female, Cross-Sectional Studies, Young Adult, Aged, Prevalence, Adolescent, Skin Diseases epidemiology
- Abstract
Cold climate and unique genetic and environmental factors may influence the prevalence of skin diseases in Greenland. However, there is a lack of epidemiological studies on skin diseases in the adult Greenlandic population. To address this unmet need a cross-sectional study, run by dermatologists from Denmark, the UK, and Switzerland estimated the prevalence and clinical manifestations of skin diseases among adults in East Greenland in May 2022. All adults ≥18 years in the town of Tasiilaq were invited, and 295 individuals aged 18-78 years participated (22.5% of the overall adult population in Tasiilaq). Two-hundred and three participants (69%) had visible signs of current skin disease, and among these, 242 cases of dermatoses were identified. The most common skin diseases were hand eczema (22.4%), lichen simplex (9.5%), discoid eczema (7.1%), psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and acne vulgaris (5.8% each). Scabies was the most frequent infectious skin disease (4.4%). No cases of skin cancer were identified. Atopic dermatitis and psoriasis presented with disease that was of limited extent and different from the classical presentations. Skin diseases showed a high prevalence among adults in East Greenland, and some of them were severe. This indicates a noteworthy public health problem that warrants better access to dermatologist support.
- Published
- 2024
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