CHILDREN

Abstract

looks. The aim of this study was to describe the spectrum of skin disease seen in school going adolescents in a developing country and evaluate the effect of these disorders on their quality of life using the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). Methods Adolescents attending both private and public secondary schools in a developing country were recruited using a multi-staged stratified random sampling method. Socio-demographic details were recorded and they all underwent physical examination by paediatric dermatologists. All those with skin lesions were then administered the CDLQI and scores were recorded and analyzed as appropriate using SPSS version 20. Results Out of the 1150 students recruited, 746 (64.9%) had skin disorders. The prevalent skin disorders were acne vulgaris, pityriasis versicolor, tinea capitis, pityriasis capitis and traction alopecia which were responsible for 88.9% of skin disease diagnosed. Five hundred and forty-two (72.6%) reported an impairment in their dermatology-specific Quality of Life and majority of this number had a mild effect on life quality. The domain of the CDLQI where students had the most impairment was the symptom/feeling domain, followed by impairment from treatment. Adolescents receiving private education were more likely to report impairment in their dermatology-specific Quality of life (p<0.05). Conclusion Skin disorder is common in Nigerian adolescents with a few handful accounting for the bulk of all dermatoses seen. It is mostly associated with an impaired dermatologyspecific quality of life, albeit a mild impairment. There’s a need for more awareness and improved access to skin care for Nigerian adolescents.