Frequency and Types of Skin Disorders among Geriatric Patients in the Middle Region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Elderly populations are expanding in both wealthy and developing countries. The aged people have a particular skin disease spectrum that varies geographically. With aging, the skin system experiences structural and functional changes. Geriatric dermatoses provide a tough condition for clinicians in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. There is little data on skin illness in Saudi Arabias elderly community. This research aimed to investigate the prevalence and distribution of cutaneous illnesses in patients in Saudi Arabias middle region. Methods: The retrospective study included patients who attended the dermatology outpatient clinic of Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022. Their genders, ages, and cutaneous diagnoses were collected, and the descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Results: 1152 patients were present, with a male predominance of 63.45%. The most prevalent diagnosis was skin eczema or dermatitis (39.91%), followed by infections (20.31%), papulosquamous illness (13.37%), and benign neoplasms (12.85%). There were no cancerous tumors. Conclusions: Eczema/dermatitis and infections are major health issues for older persons in this region. Most illnesses are preventable; to lessen the prevalence of certain skin disorders, it is crucial to increase public awareness of risk factors and conduct additional research in related fields.