Trends in dermatology consultations in the COVID-19 era in Cameroon.

Autor: Mandeng Ma Linwa E; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Buea Buea Cameroon.; Hopital Laquintinie de Douala Douala Cameroon., Sigha OB; Hopital Laquintinie de Douala Douala Cameroon.; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Bamenda Bamenda Cameroon., Djeumen Touka AJ; Hopital Laquintinie de Douala Douala Cameroon., Eposse Ekoube C; Hopital Laquintinie de Douala Douala Cameroon.; Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Pharmaceutiques Université de Douala Douala Cameroun., Ngo Linwa EE; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Bamenda Bamenda Cameroon., Budzi MN; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Buea Buea Cameroon.; Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Programme Cameroon Baptist Convention, Health Services Yaounde Cameroon., Meh MG; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Buea Buea Cameroon., Nzozone HF; Faculty of Health Sciences University of Buea Buea Cameroon., Kouotou EA; Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales de Yaoundé Yaoundé Cameroon., Zoung Kanyi Bissek AC; Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales de Yaoundé Yaoundé Cameroon.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Skin health and disease [Skin Health Dis] 2022 Apr 01; Vol. 2 (2), pp. e113. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Apr 01 (Print Publication: 2022).
DOI: 10.1002/ski2.113
Abstrakt: Introduction: With the advent of COVID-19, a highly infectious viral pandemic, first declared in Cameroon in March 2020, access to expert dermatology care was postulated to decrease. We carried out a descriptive study to understand the epidemiology of skin diseases amongst patients consulting at an outpatient dermatology clinic and its variations with the onset of COVID-19.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective database study over a period of 2 years at Laquintinie hospital, Cameroon. Two periods were distinguished: 1 March 2019 to 29 February 2020 (pre-COVID-19 era) and 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 (COVID-19 era).
Results: Overall, 5946 patients with one or more clinical conditions were analysed. The most common age group described was young adults (18-40 years). Females consulted twice as much as males (M/F ratio; 1:1.7). The mean age was 28.9 (±18.0) years with an age range of 1 month to 89 years. Infectious dermatoses predominated. However, the single most prevalent dermatologic condition was acne. There was a 35.6% drop in consultation frequency in the COVID-19 era.
Conclusion: Three in four patients consulting at dermatology clinic are below 40 years, with a female predominance. Epidemiological profile of dermatoses in Cameroon is similar to that in the rest of Africa. Consultation frequency decreased in the COVID-19 era but trends in consultations were rather unaltered except for patients above 50 years where eczema and scabies increased. More studies should be conducted to understand these trends better at a national level and envisage training of health personnel on prevalent dermatoses.
Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
(© 2022 The Authors. Skin Health and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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