Frequency of skin diseases presenting to a Primary Health Care Center in rural Islamabad, Pakistan

Objective: To determine the frequency, presentation and variations of common skin problems presenting to a primary health care clinic in Nurpur Shahan during year 2012. Methodology: All patients with skin problems attending the Rotary Shifa Health Care center from first January 2012 to December 2012 were included. All patients were evaluated by family physicians. Age, gender, diagnoses and seasonal fluctuations of the most common skin problems were recorded. Descriptive statistics were carried out Results: Out of 3200 patients seen during the study period, 353 had skin problems. Majority (60.7%) were below 20 years of age. Male to female ratio was 1: 1.5. Most visited the clinic in May followed by April while the number of patients was decreased in November and December. The most common condition seen was scabies, followed by dermatitis and acne vulgaris. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of skin disease was high in the community. It needs special consideration for extensive public health initiatives to improve their control and quality of life, as most of the infectious diseases are preventable. Public resources should make people aware of skin diseases and its preventive measures.