Prevalence, exposure and the public knowledge of keloids on four continents

INTRODUCTION: Keloid scars are associated with physical and psychological sequelae. No studies have investigated the general public's understanding of keloids. Targeted, short educational interventions in susceptible individuals may aid understanding of the condition and compliance with treatment. We aimed to identify the population with the highest prevalence and lowest knowledge.

METHODS: We surveyed four countries to determine the public's understanding of keloids. A quantitative, subjective and cross-sectional street survey was designed using the knowledge, attitudes and practice model principles. The target populations were cities in Ghana, Australia, Canada and England. Surveyors used a hybrid stratified/convenience sampling method. Primary outcomes were prevalence, exposure to keloids as an entity and overall keloid knowledge score compared across demographic groups. Study data have been made fully available for reproducibility and education (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3KZ5E).

RESULTS: There were 402 respondents, with a median age of 32 (interquartile range 25-45.25) years, of which 193 were females. The survey was carried out between June 2015 and October 2017. The prevalence of self-identified keloids was 11% in Ghana, 6% in Australia, 2% in Canada and 7% in England. Prevalence, exposure and knowledge were higher in the Ghanaian population.

CONCLUSIONS: There was association between knowledge, prevalence and the exposure to keloids as an entity. Findings may suggest targeting public health campaigns towards populations where knowledge is lowest, and exposure to and prevalence of keloids are the highest.