Prevalence of alopecia and its contributing factors among primary healthcare attendees in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Alopecia is a common health condition that can be associated with social and psychological consequences. AIMS: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of hair loss and its associated risk factors among primary healthcare center (PHC) attendees in the Jazan region. METHODS: This investigation was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Jazan region of southwest Saudi Arabia. A total of 23 PHCs were randomly selected from five governorates in the region. Data were collected via interviewing PHCs attendees and were asked about their demographic characteristics, presence of hair loss, and among attendees who confirmed having hair loss, they were further asked about associated clinical features, healthcare-seeking behavior, and factors that might contribute to the development of their condition. RESULTS: A total of 729 participants consented to be involved in this study. The number of respondents who reported having hair loss was 483, representing 66.3% of the whole sample. Gender appears to have the highest level of variability, with the majority of participants reporting hair loss being female (P < 0.001). The most frequently reported type of hair loss was telogen effluvium, followed by androgenic alopecia. A total of 185 respondents reported taking medications to treat their hair loss, of whom 108 (58.3%) did not seek any medical advice to identify the cause of their condition. LIMITATIONS: The main weakness of this investigation is related to relying on a reported presence of hair loss without having it confirmed with a clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: A minority of participants who reported suffering from hair loss were further evaluated by healthcare professionals to learn the cause of their hair loss. This may indicate the presence of poor hair care and the probability of a higher risk of hair loss requiring the development of suitable preventive strategies.