EDEN Papers

Prevalence of Skin Diseases in a Cohort of 48,665 Employees in Germany
I. Schaefer, S.J. Rustenbach, L. Zimmer, M. Augustin

Department of Dermatology, German Center for Health Services Research in Dermatology, University Clinics of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2008;217:169-172 (DOI: 10.1159/000136656)

  Key Words

• Epidemiology, Germany
• Skin diseases, prevalence

  Abstract

Background: Epidemiological data are important for planning medical care. Thus far, only few prevalence data for skin diseases have been published in Germany, most of them not population based. Objectives: Estimation of prevalences of common skin diseases in a sample of employees of German companies. Methods: Whole-body examinations were performed by trained dermatologists in 150 companies as part of skin cancer screenings. Using a standardized and computerized data entry, all clinical dermatological findings were documented. Explicitly skin lesions requiring current treatment were noted. The retrospective evaluation of the data was descriptive, using the diagnoses defined a priori in the data entry mask. Results: 48,665 persons (52.8% male) with a mean age of 43.2 years were examined. The following frequencies of chronic and acute inflammatory skin diseases were observed: contact eczema 8.9%, acne 4.2%, seborrhoeic eczema 3.4%, rosacea 2.2%, psoriasis vulgaris 2.1%, atopic eczema 1.4% and lichen ruber 0.07%. In total, dermatological findings needing treatment were observed in 19% of the study cohort; 1.3% of the participants presented a suspicious finding requiring diagnostics for skin malignoma. Conclusions: There is a high frequency of chronic inflammatory skin diseases in the general working population and a high need for dermatological treatment.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Ines Schaefer, MPH
University Clinics of Hamburg, Department of Dermatology
German Center for Health Services Research in Dermatology, Building O 18
Martinistrasse 52, DE-20246 Hamburg (Germany)
Tel. +49 40 428 035 428, Fax +49 40 428 037 227, E-Mail inesaschaefer@aol.com

  Article Information

Received: November 5, 2007
Accepted: December 25, 2007
Published online: June 5, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 9