Acne Vulgaris Awareness and Impact on Quality of Life and Psychological Status of Adolescent School Children in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Background: Acne vulgaris is the most common cutaneous disorder affecting adolescents and young adults and has a considerable impact on their quality of life. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and perceptions of adolescent school children in Jazan about acne vulgaris and its impact on quality of life and psychological status of affected adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 440 students of intermediate and Secondary Schools of Jazan region, Saudi Arabia, CADI as well as MHI-5 questionnaires were used for data collection. Results: Overall prevalence of self-reported acne among adolescents was 65.1%. Females were more affected than males (71% to 60%). Only 31.2% consider acne as a disease. Impaired QoL of adolescents showed 17.2% of adolescents had high disability scores (19% of females compared to 15.2% of males). -----------------------------------------------------------------------* Corresponding author. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)(2016) Volume 25, No 2, pp 374-384 Severe psychological impairment is found among 7.3% of adolescents with no difference between sexes. Conclusion: Prevalence of acne is high among adolescents in Jazan. Awareness about acne showed poor Knowledge among adolescents. These results signal the need for better health education for adolescents on this common problem and for psychological assessment and support as part of management plans for affected ones.