[Prevalence of dermatological diseases in Primary Care]

Abstract

Objective: To guide the training of Primary Care physicians in the most prevalent and relevant skin pathologies, it is necessary to study their prevalence in the Primary Care consultation and describe their characteristics.

Materials and methods: Observational cross-sectional study. It took place at the Porriño Health Center (Pontevedra, Spain). A total of 305 patients of the same quota participated, recruited in consultation during 41days between September 2018 and February 2019, selected by systematic sampling coinciding with those mentioned at the hour between 9 and 13hours and, failing that, we selected the next of those mentioned. The variables were analyzed: age, sex, educational and economic level, diagnostic means, previous diagnosis of dermatological disease, treatment, follow-up and relationship with systemic diseases. The statistical analysis performed was descriptive and bivariate by sex with chi-square and Fisher's exact tests.

Results: 161 women and 144 men participated, age and number of consultations being non-parametric. Median age was 59years (IQR: 42-69), with no significant differences between sexes. 69.83% (95%CI: 64.46-74.71) present between 1 and 5 types of skin lesions grouped in 33 different diagnoses. The 15 most frequent pathologies account for 77.35% (95%CI: 75.80-84.48) of diagnoses. As the most relevant pathologies, we observed two basal cell carcinomas and one squamous cell carcinoma (0.98%; 95%CI: 0.34-2.85).

Conclusions: Dermatological diseases have a high prevalence in Primary Care.

Keywords: Atención primaria; Continuous training; Dermatological diseases; Enfermedades dermatológicas; Formación continuada; Primary Care.