Dermatologic Manifestations in Senior Citizens at University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Elderly people are vulnerable to a wide variety of dermatologic conditions as a result of degenerative and metabolic changes which occur throughout the skin layers as part of the aging process. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive assessment of dermatological complications among 126 elderly respondents who presented at different wards of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) was carried out. Results: The results showed a Male to Female ratio of 1.3:1 with 73 (57.9%) males and 53 (42.1%) females. The was a 51.4% prevalence of dermatological complications among the participants.Statistical analysis showed a significant association of the occurrence of dermatological lesions with tattoos, photosensitivity and post-bleaching syndrome among female subjects only (p <0.05). Similarly, Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis was found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) among individuals with 4 -5 chronic illnesses. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that xerosis is highly prevalent in the elderly in UPTH. Infections are a major cause of dermatoses in the elderly and accurate diagnosis of these dermatoses, especially in the presence of multiple comorbidities and different drug regimens, will help in appropriate drug selection and improved quality of life of  these patients.