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. 2021 Jun 5;1(3):e53.
doi: 10.1002/ski2.53. eCollection 2021 Sep.

The spectrum of skin-related conditions in primary care during 2015-2019-A Finnish nationwide database study

A Salava  1 , A Oker-Blom  1 , A Remitz  1
Affiliations

The spectrum of skin-related conditions in primary care during 2015-2019-A Finnish nationwide database study

A Salava et al. Skin Health Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Skin-related conditions are the frequent cause of doctors' consultations in primary care.

Methods: Based on nationwide data bank information of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, we analysed the 20 most frequent main diagnoses for each ICD-10 category of all general practitioners' visits in the public health care in Finland over the years 2015-2019.

Results: The total amount of doctor's visits was 19 204 613 of which 1 489 228 consultations (7.80%) had a skin-related condition as the main diagnosis. The most frequent skin-related conditions were eczematous eruptions, bacterial skin infections and benign skin neoplasms accounting for 749 351 consultations (50.32%). The spectrum of skin-related conditions was diverse, with a large quantity of rarer diagnoses. Some diagnoses showed significant proportional changes.

Conclusions: The results demonstrate that a limited amount of conditions comprises most of the skin-related consultations in primary care in Finland. Undergraduate education in dermatology should concentrate on the most frequent conditions seen by general practitioners, but also address the wide range of skin problems.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Amount of skin‐related conditions as main diagnosis of doctors’ visits in primary care in Finland during 2015–2019 (documented main diagnosis of single consultations)
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Diagnoses grouped together; amount of skin‐related conditions as main diagnosis of doctors’ visits in primary care in Finland during 2015–2019 (documented main diagnosis of single consultations)
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Skin‐related conditions with significant proportional changes during 2015–2019
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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