Skin-of-color epidemiology: a report of the most common skin conditions by race

Abstract

To quantify and compare diagnoses according to race in pediatric Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) health plan patients seen in a general dermatology clinic over a 10-year period. Retrospective cohort of health plan pediatric patients seen in the dermatology clinic between 1997 and 2007 was established using an electronic medical record database. Diagnoses and diagnostic codes were recorded according to International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) diagnostic codes grouped on their first three digits. The proportion of patients with each diagnosis was determined according to race and sex, and the 10 most common diagnoses were determined. The most common diagnoses observed in all pediatric patients were acne (28.6%), dermatitis (19.4%), and warts (16.2%), accounting for more than 60% of dermatologic visits by children. Although acne (29.9%), warts (22.6%), and dermatitis (13.1%) were also the most common diagnoses for Caucasian children, African American pediatric patients were most commonly seen for dermatitis (29.0%), acne (27.5%), and dermatophytosis (10.2%). The three most common diagnoses for Asian patients were dermatitis (29.1%), acne (22.2%), and warts (12.6%). Acne remains one of the most common dermatologic diagnoses in children of all races. Differences in frequency of office visits for dermatitis, warts, and dermatophytosis were seen when comparing children of other races with Caucasian children.