Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
Pediatric Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 10;14(1):21139. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72332-z.
Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common skin infection affecting children globally, including in Israel, which has a diverse population comprising mainly Jews (73.2%) and Arabs (21.1%). Despite documented disparities in various diseases between these groups, research on differences in dermatological care is scarce. This study aimed to investigate MC as a potential differentiator between Arab and Jewish children. A retrospective analysis of MC cases among children (0-18 years) from 2013 to 2022 was performed at Soroka University Medical Center, a tertiary hospital serving over a million patients. 615 patients participated in our study, with 95.2% Jewish and 4.8% Arab. Both groups showed similar characteristics in lesion quantity (P = 0.535), diameter (P = 0.341), inflammation markers, and lesion location. Additionally, management, treatment response, and outcomes were found to be similar between the two groups. In conclusion, the Arab representation in the study was disproportionately low compared to their population in the area. While Jewish patients may rely more on medical specialists, we believe Arabs may prefer self-management practices, such as the use of traditional medicine, possibly hindering effective physician-led care. Understanding such disparities could improve dermatological care by tailoring approaches to diverse populations.
传染性软疣（MC）是一种常见的皮肤感染，影响全球儿童，包括以色列。以色列人口主要由犹太人（73.2%）和阿拉伯人（21.1%）组成。尽管这些群体之间存在各种疾病的差异已有记录，但关于皮肤科护理差异的研究却很少。本研究旨在探讨 MC 是否可作为阿拉伯儿童和犹太儿童之间的潜在区别因素。对 2013 年至 2022 年期间在索罗卡大学医学中心（一家服务超过 100 万患者的三级医院）就诊的 0-18 岁儿童的 MC 病例进行了回顾性分析。615 名患者参与了我们的研究，其中 95.2%为犹太人，4.8%为阿拉伯人。两组在病变数量（P = 0.535）、直径（P = 0.341）、炎症标志物和病变位置方面具有相似特征。此外，两组的管理、治疗反应和结果也相似。总之，与该地区的人口相比，研究中的阿拉伯人代表性过低。虽然犹太患者可能更依赖医学专家，但我们认为阿拉伯人可能更倾向于自我管理实践，例如使用传统医学，这可能会阻碍有效的医生主导的护理。了解这些差异可以通过针对不同人群调整方法来改善皮肤科护理。
