SKIN DISEASES AMONG ADOLESCENT BOYS IN ABHA, SAUDI-ARABIA

Background. Adolescence is characterized by a sensitivity to issues of attractiveness. With dermatologic conditions, this may adversely affe ct early detection and compliance. Methods. A cross-sectional study wa s carried out on a multistage stratified random sample of 647 adolesce nt schoolboys in Abha, Saudi Arabia, to determine the prevalence of sk in diseases. The age of the boys ranged from 11 to 19 years with an av erage of 15.3 +/- 1.9 years. Results. It was found that 19.8% of the c hildren were affected by one form or another of transmissible skin dis eases (TSD). The most common types were: pediculosis capitis (9.6%), v erruca vulgaris (3.9%), and tinea pedis (1.9%). The prevalence of TSD increased significantly as the age decreased and as the crowding index increased. As for nontransmissible skin diseases, acne vulgaris was t he most prevalent disease (56.3%). The prevalence and severity of acne increased significantly as the age increased. Conclusions. The findin gs indicate the need to develop regional intervention programs at the school level. Appropriate continuing medical education programs for sc hool health workers in the region are mandatory to achieve this goal.