Among different ethnic groups, knowledge of and attitudes toward vitiligo varies, according to a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Premjit Juntongjin, MD, and colleagues assessed knowledge and attitudes about vitiligo among different ethnic groups and the general population. In a cross-sectional survey, participants (N=405) viewed a brief video portraying a waitress affected by vitiligo and then completed a questionnaire related to the video content. Approximately 30% of participants recognized the condition as vitiligo. About 66% and 88% of individuals had ample knowledge about, and positive attitudes toward, the condition, respectively. Participants with sufficient knowledge scores had notably more positive attitudes (P=0.001). “Arabians had the highest knowledge score, whereas Caucasians had the highest prevalence of positive attitudes,” the study authors wrote. “Regarding close-relationship attitudes, Asians tended to have perceptions that were different from that of others. Therefore, global awareness of vitiligo should be emphasized.”
