The demand for dermatology and the spectrum of skin disease in the immigrant population of Southeast Spain. Differences depending on the geographical origin

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the dermatoses seen in the immigrant population and to perform a comparative study according to the different geographical areas. A prospective study performed from February 2005 to February 2006. All the visits of economic immigrants seen in the Dermatology Section were prospectively recorded. We examined 1,085 immigrant patients. Latin American patients were more frequently seen (n=706) and they consulted dermatologists more (8.9 visits per 100 people). Benign tumoral pathology was more frequent in Latin American patients (21.9 vs 15.7%; p=0.009). The percentage of infectious dermatoses was greater in the North African population (23.3 vs 17.9%; p=0.009). There was a lower percentage of pigmentary alterations in the Eastern European population (0.7% vs 6.6%; p=0.009). Pruritus was more common in Sub-Saharan immigrants (8.1% vs 1.4%; p=0.001), In the field of dermatology it is not possible to consider the immigrant population as a homogenous group since the dermatoses vary depending on the patients' geographical origin.