02168nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653002200089653001000111653002100121653002800142653001100170653001100181653001100192653002000203653000900223653001600232653001000248653001500258653001700273653001800290653003000308100001500338700001100353700001600364700001600380700001400396245008000410300001000490490000800500520124800508022001401756       2008                            d  c2008 Feb10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aChild10aChild, Preschool10aCross-Sectional Studies10aFemale10aHumans10aInfant10aInfant, Newborn10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aNepal10aPrevalence10aRural Health10aSkin Diseases10aSkin Diseases, Infectious1 aWalker S L1 aShah M1 aHubbard V G1 aPradhan H M1 aGhimire M00aSkin disease is common in rural Nepal: results of a point prevalence study.  a334-80 v1583 a<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Skin problems are the commonest reason for people accessing healthcare services in Nepal but there is little information about the prevalence of skin disease.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>To perform a point prevalence study of skin disease in the Terai region of Nepal.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Five villages were randomly selected in Bara District in the Terai region of Nepal, and 878 people were examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>The number of individuals identified as having a skin disease was 546. The point prevalence of identifiable skin abnormalities was 62.2% (546 of 878) (with 95% exact confidence intervals 58.9-65.4%). A wide range of dermatoses was identified. The six most prevalent were dermatophyte infections (11.4%), followed by pityriasis versicolor (8.9%), acne (7.7%), melasma (6.8%), eczema (5.6%) and pityriasis alba (5.2%). Overall, treatable skin infections and infestations were by far the commonest skin diseases identified.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Our study has demonstrated a very high point prevalence (62.2%) of skin disease in rural Nepal. This study represents the first formal survey of skin disease in Nepal and demonstrates a large burden of disease, in particular treatable infections.</p>  a0007-0963