2Ordu University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics , Ordu, Turkey DOI : 10.29400/tjgeri.2024.394 Introduction: As the population ages, particular health issues affect this susceptible age group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, frequency, age, gender, and season-of-year distribution of dermatological disorders among geriatric patients.
Materials and Method: This was a retrospective, descriptive study. Skin diseases were categorized into 12 different groups and analyzed according to the age groups, gender, and season of the application.
Results: The study included 2431 patients (1203 were female and 1228 were male). The mean age of the patients was 74.02±7.07(65-100) years. For 23.1% of these patients, the problems were acute, and for 76.9%, they were chronic. The ratio of patients with one, two, and more than three complaints was 81.0%, 13.9%, and 5.1%, respectively. The most frequent diagnoses were pruritus (n=424, 17.4%); eczematous dermatitis (n=395, 16.2%); fungal infections (n=372, 15.3%); premalign and malign skin disorders (n=247, 10.2%); bacterial infections (n=147, 6%); viral infections (n=118, 4.9%); papulosquamous diseases (n=95, 3.9%); urticaria and adverse drug reactions (n=96, 3.9%); benign skin tumors (n=79, 3.2%); acneiform disorders (n=40, 1.6%); and vesiculobullous disorders (n=22, 0.9%).
Conclusion: The majority of skin diseases among the elderly are not lifethreatening, and they are preventable. Knowing the prevalence and distribution of skin diseases seen in the elderly can help prevent these disorders and develop policies for better management of elderly-related health issues.
Keywords : Aged; Skin Diseases; Preventive Medicine; Skin Aging