[Underestimation of dermatology based on ignorance and its impact on patient's health]

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2015 Mar-Apr;53(2):250-3.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

With the emergence of medical specialties in different areas of medicine, assessment of patients became narrow and specialized. There is also the perception that some specialties are more difficult than others. Dermatology has long been seen by most physicians non dermatologists as a relaxed area, without real emergencies or requirement of great intellectual effort. Some specialists, erroneously think that everything can be cured with topical steroids and/or antifungal creams. Although several skin diseases are common complains seen by the general practitioner, very few time and credits are granted to cover these diseases during the years of undergraduate training. Thus, the primary care physicians and others medical specialists believe that skin diseases are not life threatening and hence irrelevant. Nonetheless, they feel competent enough to prescribe a variety of treatments for skin diseases that may lead to iatrogenesis.

Con la aparición de las especialidades en las diferentes áreas de la medicina se comenzó a notar una “fragmentación” en la forma de evaluar al paciente; también surgió la percepción de que existen algunas más difíciles que otras. La Dermatología ha sido vista durante mucho tiempo por la mayor parte de los médicos no dermatólogos como una área relajada, sin guardias, sin urgencias y que no requiere gran ejercicio intelectual. Algunos especialistas piensan que todo se “cura” con esteroides tópicos y/o antimicóticos. A pesar de que varias dermatosis son motivo frecuente de consulta para el médico general, durante los años de pregrado se concede poco tiempo y, consecuentemente, escasos créditos a esta materia, dando como resultado que los médicos y otros especialistas no den la importancia debida a las enfermedades de la piel, al no ser estas riesgosas para la salud del paciente. Sin embargo sí se atreven a tratar dichas enfermedades con tal displicencia que terminan por generar iatrogenia de todo tipo.

Keywords: Dermatology; Dermatoses; Iatrogenic disease; Skin diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Clinical Competence*
  • Dermatology*
  • Humans
  • Primary Health Care* / organization & administration
  • Referral and Consultation*
  • Skin Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Skin Diseases* / therapy