title: [Utilization of dermatology services among the immigrant population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the utilization rate of a dermatology service among the immigrant population and compare this rate with that among the autochthonous population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 1-year period, data on all patients attended in the Dermatology Service of Health Department 19 in the autonomous community of Valencia were prospectively collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 39,160 consultations, 1,625 were made by immigrants (4.1%). Attendance for dermatologic emergencies was greater in immigrants than in the autochthonous population (7.7% vs 3.0%; p<0.001), while surgical activity was lower in immigrants than in Spanish-born patients (2.6% vs 5%; p<0.001). Demand for consultation in the immigrant population was 5.7 visits per 100 immigrants, lower than that in the autochthonous population (16.2). The standardized rate ratio was 0.34. North Africans (5.6 per 100 immigrants), East Europeans (4.8), sub-Saharan Africans (5.3) and Asians (4.2) consulted less than Latin Americans (8.5; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Demand was lower in the immigrant than in the autochthonous population, and the utilization pattern differed according to country.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Dermatología, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Ma Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Albares Tendero
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramos Rincón
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Belinchón Romero
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Betlloch Más
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pastor Tomás
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Botella Antón
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D003880:Dermatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology