Naldi Luigi, Colombo Paolo, Placchesi Elena Benedetti, Piccitto Roberto, Chatenoud Liliane, La Vecchia Carlo
Coordinating Center, Italian Group for Epidemiological Research in Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy.
Dermatology. 2004;208(1):38-42. doi: 10.1159/000075044.
Few data are available on the prevalence of common skin disorders like actinic keratoses in the general population. Such data are mostly needed to better define health needs and to organize medical services. The Prevalence of Actinic Keratoses in the Italian Population Study (PraKtis) was designed to estimate the point prevalence of actinic keratoses and related disorders, e.g. photoaging, in a representative sample of the Italian population. Within the study, information on the history of relevant dermatological diagnoses was also collected.
The study was conducted in collaboration with DOXA, the Italian branch of the Gallup International Association. A representative sample of people aged 45 years or older was selected by picking them from the electoral rolls according to a stratified random sampling design involving a replacement procedure. A total of 180 interviewers specifically trained to collect data on skin diseases and to take photographs of representative lesions on the face and upper limbs, contacted and interviewed the sampled subjects and performed a face-to-face computer-assisted interview. A final sample of about 12000 subjects was foreseen.
The pilot phase of the study was conducted between January 1 and June 30, 2003. A total of 3660 subjects were recruited and interviewed. Overall, an estimated 37% of Italian people reported having ever undergone a dermatological consultation in the past. An estimated 29% reported having ever received a specific dermatological diagnosis by a physician. The frequency of specifically enquired diagnoses, weighted according to the distribution of the Italian population, was as follows: atopic dermatitis 4.7%, other eczematous dermatitides 4.3%, urticaria 4.3%, psoriasis 3.1%, skin tumors 1.6%, vitiligo 0.7% and actinic keratoses 0.3%.
Skin diseases are frequently reported. The prevalence of actinic keratoses according to self-reported diagnoses was lower than expected based on prevalence data obtained by directly examining people. These discrepancies may be due to underreporting and/or unawareness of lesions by affected people. More precise estimates will be obtained by direct examination of sampled people.
关于普通人群中光化性角化病等常见皮肤病患病率的数据很少。这些数据对于更好地确定健康需求和组织医疗服务至关重要。意大利人群光化性角化病患病率研究（PraKtis）旨在估计意大利人群代表性样本中光化性角化病及相关疾病（如光老化）的时点患病率。在该研究中，还收集了有关相关皮肤病诊断史的信息。
该研究与盖洛普国际协会意大利分会DOXA合作开展。根据分层随机抽样设计（包括替换程序）从选民名单中挑选出45岁及以上的具有代表性的人群样本。共有180名经过专门培训以收集皮肤病数据并对面部和上肢代表性病变进行拍照的访员，联系并采访了抽样对象，并进行了面对面的计算机辅助访谈。预计最终样本约为12000名受试者。
该研究的试点阶段于2003年1月1日至6月30日进行。共招募并采访了3660名受试者。总体而言，估计有37%的意大利人报告过去曾接受过皮肤科会诊。估计有29%的人报告曾由医生进行过特定的皮肤病诊断。根据意大利人群分布加权后的特定询问诊断频率如下：特应性皮炎4.7%，其他湿疹性皮炎4.3%，荨麻疹4.3%，银屑病3.1%，皮肤肿瘤1.6%，白癜风0.7%，光化性角化病0.3%。
皮肤病的报告频率较高。根据自我报告诊断得出的光化性角化病患病率低于基于直接检查人群获得的患病率数据所预期的结果。这些差异可能是由于受影响人群报告不足和/或对病变 unaware。通过对抽样人群的直接检查将获得更精确的估计值。 （注：原文中“unawareness of lesions by affected people”直译为受影响人群对病变的“未意识到”，这里意译为“对病变 unaware”以使译文更通顺自然）
