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Prevalence and psychosocial effects of acne vulgaris among secondary school students

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common dermatological disease which affects a wide range of ages; however, it occurs more in the adolescent years with its attendant psychosocial effects. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and psychosocial effects of acne vulgaris among secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area, Benin City, South–South Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and ten students (263 females and 147 males) from two secondary schools were enrolled in this descriptive cross-sectional study using a simple random sampling technique. A structured open- and close-ended interviewer-administered questionnaire was used and each student was examined and a clinical diagnosis was made by a dermatologist. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 20 and P < 0.05 was set for statistical significance. Results: The overall prevalence of acne vulgaris was 37.3% with a slightly higher prevalence in females (37.6%) than in males (36.7%). A higher percentage of acne was observed among students in the private school (51.4%) compared to those in public school (32.2%). An increased prevalence (41.2%) was also observed in the higher age group (15–19 years) compared to (35.8%) in the 10–14 years age group. Psychological disorder was found in 170 (41.5%) respondents. The type of school (P < 0.001), class of student (P < 0.014), depression (P < 0.004), anxiety (P < 0.015), worry (P < 0.001), fear (P < 0.001), and anger (P < 0.001) were found to be statistically associated with acne vulgaris. Similarly, the type of school (P < 0.007) and marriage type of parents (P < 0.001) were found to be statistically associated with psychological disorder. Conclusion: School health education about this condition is imperative in order to significantly reduce its psychosocial effects.