Abstract
Background: Adolescents suffer the consequences of sudden spurt in their growth and development and one of them is the multitude of skin disorders. This creates a sense of physiological and psychological insecurity which hinders their day to day activities including academic progress. Skin disorders can range from acne, allergic reactions, and frequent infections to certain dermatological diseases. A study on the association of skin disorders and its psychological and physiological consequences was a felt need among adolescent school going children. Objectives: To study the prevalence of skin problems and its health impact among adolescent school children. To give recommendations based on the outcome of the study. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional observational study done on adolescent school children in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia. A pre-tested, close ended interviewee-based questionnaire was used to collect the data and analyze the information. Results: Most of the adolescent participants had skin disorders like acne (32.4%), dandruff (21.8%), dry skin (16.2%) and oily skin (14.6%). The associated problems for children that were prominent were itchy and scratchy skin (36.9%), being self-conscious and embarrassed (7.9%), not able to play certain sports (7.4%) and attending school regularly (6.2%). Conclusion: Prevention of skin disorders through health education, regular health checkup, proper diet and exercise would help in reducing the associated physiological and psychological health problems among the adolescent population.Y