title: The prevalence of common skin conditions in Australian school students: 2. Atopic dermatitis.
abstract: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) was recorded following examination by dermatologists and dermatology registrars of a random sample of 2491 school students throughout the State of Victoria, Australia. The overall prevalence, based on clinical examination, was 16.3% (95% confidence interval, CI 14.1-18.5), being higher in girls (17.7%; 95% CI 15.0-20.4) than boys (14.8%; 95% CI 11.8-17.8). Using the U.K. Working Party Diagnostic Criteria for AD reduced the prevalence to 10.8% (95% CI 9.3-12.3) with the prevalence in girls 12.3% (95% CI 10.1-14.4) and in boys 9.2% (95% CI 7.1-11.4). The prevalence was highest in 4-6 year olds (18.7% on clinical examination, 11.5% using the U.K. Working Party Criteria), decreasing with increasing age to 11.6% on clinical examination (8. 6% on U.K. Working Party Criteria) among 16-18 year olds. Most of those with AD were classified as having mild disease (54.1%), with 32.1% classified as having minimal and 13.8% as having moderate to severe disease. Over 80% of those who reported on the questionnaire that they had dermatitis that was then confirmed on examination had been using one or more products to treat it. Nearly 90% of these products were classified as efficacious, with medical practitioners being the major source of advice for their use (77%). Pharmacists (8%), family/friends (6%) and others (9%), including beauticians and naturopaths, made up the remainder of the persons from whom those affected had sought advice about their treatment. These data, the first community-based prevalence data on AD published from Australia, confirm that the condition is common among those of school age. There is a need for AD to be included among those conditions that are discussed in health education lessons in schools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kilkenny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plunkett
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology