An Epidemiological Study of Dermatoses of Conscriptees in Kangwon Province, 2001

Pyo, Jo Young; Kim, Sang Dong; Lee, Weon Ju; Koo, Dae Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The results of epidemiological studies are different from each other by genetics, social circumstances, climate, geographic localization, etc. There are few reports on prevalence of adolescent dermatoses in Korea. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to know prevalence of dermatoses of 19-year-old conscriptees in Kangwon province, 2001 and to compare its distribution with results of other studies. METHOD: From Aug. 2001 to Dec. 2001, we have examined 12, 657 men who had visited the Chuncheon Military Manpower Administration for the purpose of physical examination for conscription in Kangwon province. We estimated the total, monthly and regional prevalence of dermatoses and the dermatoses were recorded by rank and analyzed by group of disease and disease itself. RESULTS: A total of 2, 324 patients with 2, 509 dermatological diseases were seen by a dermatologist from August 2001 to December 2001 at the Chuncheon Military Manpower Administration. The prevalence of dermatoses was 18.4%. The monthly number of patients was greatest in August, and September, October, November and December in the right order. The regional prevalence was greatest in Hwachun & Yanggu(33.9%) and the western area of Kangwon province was greater than the eastern area except Youngweol. The frequent dermatoses include acne, tattoo, melanocytic nevus, folliculitis, keratosis pilaris, dermatophytosis, contact dermatitis, bromhidrosis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, tinea versicolor, other eczema, freckle and melasma, and keloid in the right order, respectively above 1% of total dermatoses. In the distribution of dermatoses as disease groups, diseases of skin appendages(37.6%), dermatoses due to physical agents(16.6%), melanocytic nevi(13.6%), dermatomycosis(8.7%), hereditary skin diseases(7.8%), eczema(6.6%), and pigment anomaly (2.3%) constituted 93.2% of the total. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence surveillance of the dermatoses in Kangwon province shows that cosmetic diseases such as tattoo, melanocytic nevus and keratosis pilaris are more frequent compared with previous hospital-based study and when compared with soldiers, infectious disease and disease due to physical agent are significantly different.