Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Mar 3:26:125.
doi: 10.11604/pamj.2017.26.125.10954. eCollection 2017.

Dermatology in Ghana: a retrospective review of skin disease at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Dermatology Clinic

Brooke E Rosenbaum  1 , Rebecca Klein  2   3 , Paa Gyasi Hagan  4 , Mark-Young Seadey  4 , Naa Larteley Quarcoo  4 , Rachel Hoffmann  5 , Maria Robinson  5 , Margaret Lartey  6 , Marie C Leger  5   7
Affiliations

Dermatology in Ghana: a retrospective review of skin disease at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Dermatology Clinic

Brooke E Rosenbaum et al. Pan Afr Med J. .

Abstract

Introduction: Ghana is currently developing its provision of dermatology services. Epidemiologic studies of the skin diseases seen by Ghanaian dermatologists are needed to guide these efforts. We aimed to describe the skin conditions seen by and management practices of Ghanaian dermatologists in a specialized clinic.

Methods: We conducted a chart review of new patients presenting to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital dermatology clinic during 2014.

Results: Among the 529 patients studied, 700 discrete diagnoses were made. The most commonly diagnosed skin conditions were infections (24.6%) and dermatitis (24.6%); atopic dermatitis (8.4%), acne vulgaris (5.3%) and scabies (5.1%) were the most common specific diagnoses. Among infants, children, and adolescents, the most common diagnosis was atopic dermatitis (31.7%, 30.0%, and 14.9%, respectively). Acne vulgaris (12.0%) was the most common skin condition diagnosed in young adults. Irritant contact dermatitis (6.9%) was most common among adults. Lichen planus (9.9%) was the most commonly diagnosed skin condition in the senior population. Diagnoses made by dermatologists differed from the referral diagnosis documented by primary care providers for 65.8% of patients. The most frequently recommended treatments were antihistamines (47.8%) and topical steroids (38.4%). Only 18 diagnostic biopsies were performed.

Conclusion: Our study summarizes the skin diseases seen and management practices of Ghanaian dermatologists in a specialized clinic at a large public teaching hospital. The results of this study can help to guide future dermatology education and development efforts in Ghana.

Keywords: Dermatology; Ghana; atopic dermatitis; scabies.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of patient-reported hometowns in Ghana
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Resolution WHA57,1 Surveillance and control of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer). Geneva: World Health Organization. Fifty-Seventh World Health Assembly; 2004. 1-2 Available.
    1. Epidemiology and Management of Common Skin Diseases in Children in Developing Countries. World Health Organization; 2005. Available at. Accessed April 28, 2015.
    1. Addo H. A survey of skin diseases seen at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Ghana Med J. 1990;24(1):7.
    1. Bakker. Dermatological Preparations for the Tropics: A formulary of dermatological preparations and background information on therapeutic choices, production and dispensing. World Health Organization; 2012. Available at: Accessed October 27, 2015.
    1. Belcher DW, Afoakwa SN, Osei-Tutu E, Wurapa FK, Osei L. Endemic pyoderma in Ghana: a survey in rural villages. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1977;71(3):204–9. - PubMed