PROFILE OF SKIN DISEASES IN RURAL GUINEA

Abstract

Background: Skin diseases are diverse and constitute a major public health problem in developing
countries, and they are the third most common reason for consultations. Access to dermatological care
remains limited in rural communities. The proportion and type of skin pathologies vary from one country to
another. This study aimed to determine the profile of skin diseases in Guinean communities.
Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study in June 2022, carried out in a
community setting and included all patients with skin conditions residing in the study area desirous of
dermatological care and who could travel to the study site.
Results: 615 respondents were examined for cutaneous morbidities; 582 had a skin disease, i.e. a
prevalence of 94.6%. The median age of the patients was 14 years, with a predominance of females
(61.7%), mostly single (72.7%) and having attended an organized school (58.5%). Skin pathologies were
dominated by infectious dermatoses (54.4%), followed by inflammatory dermatoses (23.0%). Scabies
predominated, followed by ringworm, with a statistically significant difference (p-value < 0.05).
Conclusion: Our study shows that the profile of skin diseases in the rural Guinean community is similar to
that of the reference service. Scabies and ringworms were the two most common skin diseases. The
implementation of teledermatology remains an option for increasing the provision of dermatological care.
Keywords: Skin diseases, community setting, Guinea