Prevalence of Skin Disease and Its Associated Factors Among Primary Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Northern Ethiopian Town

BACKGROUND: Skin disease affects people of all ages, yet children are one of the most common victims of it. Although some data indicate a high prevalence of skin disorders among Ethiopian primary schoolchildren, little is known regarding it, particularly in the study area. Hence, the study aimed to investigate the prevalence of skin disease and its associated factors among primary schoolchildren in Debre Berhan town, North Shoa, Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The samples were chosen using a multistage stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using both a self-administered and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Children were clinically examined to detect and record the dermatological findings. A potassium hydroxide test was used to confirm some doubtful cases. The data were entered in Epi Info version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Variables with a p-value <0.05 were designated as having statistical significance. RESULTS: The overall point prevalence of any skin disease was 61.2% (95% CI: 56.4–66.1). In a multivariable logistic regression model, a significant association between skin diseases and the occupation of the father being a farmer (AOR: 4.21, 95% CI: 1.06–16.63), bad personal hygiene (AOR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.03–4.38), previous history of skin disease (AOR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.41–5.30), exchange of clothes and towels with other family members (AOR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.09–2.85), presence of trauma in the last one month (AOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.18–3.72) and not being a member of health insurance (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.16–3.28) has been found. CONCLUSION: The point prevalence of any skin disorder is alarmingly high. The commonest disorders found in this study were simple and could usually be cured easily. Hence, preventive and curative health services should be provided for these schoolchildren to achieve a considerable reduction in the prevalence of skin disorders.