Epidemiological Investigation of Disease Patterns, Accessibility, and Patient Characteristics Following the Introduction of Dermatology Specialty Clinics Within Primary Care Settings in Qatar

Introduction Dermatological diseases are commonly presented in primary care settings and are associated with health implications and psychiatric comorbidity, which has a negative impact on the overall quality of life of the patients. The service users' characteristics and the prevalence of the different types of dermatological diseases are an under-researched area in the state of Qatar. The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of commonly presenting dermatological diseases such as diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, dermatitis and eczema, and disorders of skin appendages within primary care settings and highlight patient characteristics accessing dermatological healthcare services at primary healthcare centers within its parent organization Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). Methods The study population included in the research was composed of both Qataris and non-Qataris registered at a PHCC health center between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2020. The demographic and diagnosis data were extracted from the electronic medical records (EMR) for the defined population. A comparison analysis (reported as odds ratio and inverse odds ratio) was conducted to evaluate the frequency and distribution of cases at "Primary Care Dermatology Patients Care Services" before and after the introduction of dermatology specialty clinics services in PHCC. Results A total of 937,553 patients' data was retrieved for the study registered at a PHCC health center between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2020. Adults aged 18 to 59 constituted more than two-thirds of the study sample (68.3%, n=640313). The commonly occurring dermatological diseases that were diagnosed during this four-year time period after the introduction of dermatology specialty clinics were namely diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (n=249197, 73%), dermatitis and eczema (n=91653, 27%) and disorders of skin appendages (n=67933, 20%). The probability of having a clinical encounter with neoplasm was increased by 2.17 times after introducing the specialized clinics within PHCC. Conclusion The disease pattern of dermatological diseases and patient characteristics present vital health information to better understand the workload and training needs of Family Physicians working in dermatology specialty clinics and to further improve the quality of service and target high-risk patient sub-groups. The findings of the study can also be utilized for future designing and re-designing of the service, particularly in the context of innovative strategies such as complex care management and patients presenting with co-morbidities including dermatological or cutaneous diseases.