Myths, misconceptions and attitudinal trends among patients with acne

ABSTRACT

Background: Despite acne being a common dermatological problem, there is a paucity of literature addressing the knowledge, attitude and practice about it. Aims/Objectives: To find out what patients know about acne, its cause and treatment, as well as myths, misconceptions and attitude towards it. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive questionnaire-based study on acne patients at Maharana Bhupal Hospital, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Results: Most (84.8%) patients belonged to the age group of 16–25 years. The majority (63.9%) presented 12 months after the onset of acne. More than half had average knowledge, a positive attitude and good practices, related significantly to gender and education. Limitations: A standardized questionnaire suitable for all dialects and regional languages would have yielded more uniform results. Conclusion: Study revealed that acne patients still need to acquire accurate, adequate and easily accessible information to seek timely and appropriate treatment, and alleviate their psychological suffering.