title: A Study of Clinical Profile and Quality of Life in Patients with Scabies at a Rural Tertiary Care Centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scabies is a contagious disease primarily related to poverty and overcrowding, it rapidly spreads from person to person specially in people with poor hygiene. We come across many patients from rural areas with scabies. In India the incidence ranges from 13% to 59% in rural and urban areas. Many people complain of sleep disturbances and affection of work and leisure activities due to itching. Very few studies are done in India about the affection of quality of life in such patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the demographic details, clinical profile and quality of life in patients with scabies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, observational and cross-sectional study conducted at Department of Dermatology and Venereology, rural based tertiary care centre, Gujarat for a period of 6 months from March to August 2015, after ethical approval from the institute. Study included all patients with clinical features suggestive of scabies. The data including age, sex, occupation, education, socioeconomic status, complaints, past history, family history and clinical features along with the questionnaire for affection of quality of life were recorded in predesigned proforma and detailed analysis was done. Total of 102 newly diagnosed scabies patients attending skin OPD were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 102 patients, 50.98% were males. The most common age group affected was 21-40 years, in 44.11% patients. Students were commonly affected with 41.17% followed by housewives with 20.58% cases. Most common lesion seen was papules in 84.3% followed by excoriations in 82.3% cases. Maximum 51.6% adults had small effect on quality of life while 62.5% children reported minimal effect on quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scabies is an important and commonly encountered health problem which is highly contagious and if not attended timely and adequately can affect the quality of life in the form of work affection, sleep disturbances and psychosocial problems in patients as well as its family members. This could be easily prevented if the patients of scabies are recognised and treated early and proper awareness is must to avoid recurrences. The profile of scabies patients helps in early recognition of scabies even at the peripheral centers.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Pragya Ashok
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Rita Vipul
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Nidhi B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Jivani
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Shailee S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gandhi
keywords: Contagious; Dermatology life quality questionnaire; Ectoparasitosis; Seven – year itch