Shazia Batool, Ghulam Mustafa, Mohammed Hanif, Nasir Mahmood, Farah Sadia, Mehrozia Hassan.
Perception of acne patients regarding its pathogenesis and treatment.
J Sheikh Zayed Med Coll Jan ;1(2):60-4.

Background: Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disease treated by dermatologists. Misconceptions about acne, regarding its causes, treatment options and their possible outcome are widespread. Objectives: The objective of this study was; to evaluate the knowledge and perception of acne patients regarding their understanding of acne pathogenesis, treatment options, and expectations. Patients and methods: This descriptive study was conducted in dermatology clinic, outpatient department of Sheikh Zayed Medical College / Hospital, from 1st January to 15th April, 2010 and a total of 105 consecutive study subjects, who were diagnosed with acne were included. An informed verbal consent was ensured from every study subject. Results: The mean age of the patients was 18.8 ± 2.7 years. Majority of the patients (87%) were females and unmarried (83 %). 74% had education level matric and above. 48.6% belonged to urban areas, 30.4% to rural areas and 21% to urban slums. 67% of the patients of acne in our study reported that they felt frequently worried about their acne. 55 % of the study subjects had duration of acne less than three months, 41 % had duration between 3 to 12 months and 4% had duration more than one year. When asked about causes of acne, 35% related it with poor skin hygienic conditions, 19% to dietary factors, 13% to blocked skin pores, 10.5 % to inheritance factors, 7.6% to stress, 6.7% related to infection by germs. Regarding dietary aggravating factors; 38 % linked to oily food items, 14 % with tea, 13.3%with milk products. 17 % perceived that acne is not a curable disease. 41 % of the patients had no opinion about mode of treatment. 67% of the patients expected the duration of acne treatment may be up to 3 months. Conclusion: There is a need for accessible, accurate, community-based education on the natural history of acne, its pathogenesis, risk of sequelae, the effectiveness and expected duration of treatment, and the importance of prompt medical attention.

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