title: [Epidemiologic study of skin diseases among immigrants in Alicante, Spain].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influx of a large number of immigrants has altered the sociodemographic profile in Spain. To date, few studies of the skin diseases of immigrants to Spain have been done.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of visits by immigrants to our dermatology clinic, to describe their skin complaints, and to compare them to those of the autochthonous Spanish population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, descriptive, analytic study, with an observational substudy of cases and controls from a cross-section of the population. We included all immigrant patients seen at the dermatology clinic between February 2005 and February 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visits by immigrants to the dermatology clinic accounted for 4.1% of the caseload. Their most frequent complaints were eczematous dermatitis (18.4%), viral warts (6.4%), and acne (6.3%). Comparison between the immigrant and autochthonous patient populations showed that eczematous dermatitis, alopecia, melasma, ringworm, scabies, Herpes simplex infection, keratosis pilaris, and xerosis were significantly more frequent among immigrant patients, whereas viral warts, actinic keratosis, hidradenitis suppurativa, lupus, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma were significantly less frequent (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immigrant population consults the dermatologist about skin conditions that are already well represented in our routine practice. As the infectious skin diseases of immigrants are also common in our environment, these patients are unlikely to transmit serious tropical skin diseases to the local population.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, España. pityalte@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Albares
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Belinchón
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Payá
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Betlloch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000453:epidemiology; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult