Prevalence of Vitiligo and Associated Factors Among Adult Patients Attending Ayder Referral Teaching Hospital Dermatology Clinic in Mekelle Town, Tigray Region-Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Vitiligo is skin disease having a major impact on the quality of life of the patient suffering from it. The substantial disfigurement associated with vitiligo can cause serious emotional stress for the patient, which necessitates treatment. The total number of people suffering from vitiligo is estimated at around 65-95 million people worldwide and little known about Vitiligo in Ethiopia Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of vitiligo among patients attending dermatology outpatient department at Ayder Referral Teaching Hospital in 2014  Methods: A facility based cross sectional study design was conducted among 423 adults aged 14years and above in Ayder referral hospital from July to September ,2014.All adult patients who attend the Dermatologic OPD, in  Ayder Referral Hospital on the study period was included in the study by systematic random sampling technique.Information regarding socio-demographic, disease related, and associated risk factors were obtained from the patients during hospital visit with interviews and skin physical examination was during data collection process, the data was checked for completeness and data was entered and analyzed using SPSS statistical software(version 20). Findings were summarized using descriptive statistics and multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the independent predictors of vitiligo at 5% p value.

Result: Prevalence of vitiligo was found to be 9.4%. The mean age at onset of the disease was 27.37 ± 12.91years. Among 405 patients 11(2.7%) of the patients had a family history of vitiligo. Lower limbs (28.9%) followed by head and neck (21.1%) were the initially most affected parts. Major precipitating factor was found to be physical trauma (46.2%). Alopecia areata was the most common autoimmune disorder observed (33.3%). Factors like place of residence, similar problem in the family, triggering factors and associated disease are significant association with vitiligo by multivariable logistic regression.

Conclusion: Generalized vitiligo is the most common clinical type observed. Generally factors like place of residence, similar problem in the family, triggering factors and associated disease are significant association with vitiligo. Educate about triggering factors and screen for autoimmune disease all Vitiligo patients was recommended.

Keywords: Vitiligo, clinical character, risk factors and Ethiopia