Principles of Topical Therapy

Abstract

As well as quantifying the burden of skin disease, epidemiology provides a direct method for assessing the causes of skin diseases. Identification of causes is a necessary step in pursuing the ultimate goal of disease prevention. This chapter covers the importance of thinking in terms of population rather than individuals, and provides a summary of the substantial global morbidity caused by skin disease. Risk factors from genetics to environment are outlined, along with describing the natural history and associations of common skin diseases. Finally, there is a description of how the principles and data from epidemiological studies provide the cornerstone to planning appropriate dermatology services. The chapter closes by providing the reader with a glossary of terms and a checklist to help with reading epidemiological studies.