Prevalence of tinea pedis among adults in primary health care settings in Qatar: A cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study finds that athlete's foot is more common in older adults, males, obese individuals, and diabetics in Qatar, highlighting the need for targeted prevention.

Contribution

The study provides the first detailed prevalence data and risk factors for tinea pedis in Qatar's primary healthcare population.

Findings

Tinea pedis prevalence was 1.8% in Qatar's primary healthcare population.

Older adults, males, obese individuals, and diabetics were at significantly higher risk.

Poorly controlled diabetes increased tinea pedis risk by 20% compared to well-controlled diabetes.

Abstract

Tinea pedis, commonly known as athlete’s foot, is a fungal infection of the feet, particularly affecting the space between toes, and it is easy to treat. While it is prevalent worldwide, limited data exist on its prevalence in Qatar. This study aims to determine the prevalence of tinea pedis and identify its associated risk factors among adults in the primary healthcare settings in Qatar.

A cross-sectional study analyzed electronic medical records (EMRs) of adults aged ≥18 years who registered with the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) between July 2018 and June 2023. A total of 1,002,594 EMRs were studied, and statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. We obtained approval with reference number BUHOOTH-D-23-00039 to conduct this study from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at PHCC.

The overall prevalence of tinea pedis was 1.8%. The risk of tinea pedis increased significantly with age, being 25.1 times higher among individuals aged 70 years or older compared to younger adults (18–29 years). Males were 1.6 times more likely to be affected than females. North Africans had a 3.9 times increased risk. Obesity was a major risk factor, with morbidly obese individuals being 15.1 times more likely to develop tinea pedis than underweight individuals. Diabetics had a 7.1-fold increased risk compared to non-diabetics. HbA1c% values of <7, 7.0–7.9, and ≥8 were considered as recommended control, less-stringent control, and poor control of diabetes mellitus, respectively. Poor control of diabetes elevated the risk by 20% compared to recommended control. All associations were statistically significant.

Tinea pedis is a significant health issue in Qatar, particularly among older adults, males, obese individuals, diabetics, and those with poorly controlled diabetes. These findings can increase awareness among local physicians about the need to screen high-risk groups and promote prevention of modifiable risk factors through targeted interventions and patient education.