3rd Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit: A Preview
The upcoming virtual conference will cover topics ranging from atopic dermatitis to teledermatology and the importance of nurse practitioners in Derm practice (1,100 words, 5 minutes)
The 2023 Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit will be held virtually this coming Saturday, Nov. 25.
Registration is still open for the meeting.
Highlights from the 2023 agenda include:
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis (Regina) identifies the highest priorities related to skin conditions in Canadian Indigenous populations for researchers, policy and decision-makers, and stakeholders
Dr. Brittany Waller (Regina) details her experience moving her practice from Toronto to southern Saskatchewan in an underserviced, rural area
Dr. Anna Chacon (Miami) provides practical pearls for virtual care and Indigenous skin health
Dr. Jordanna Roesler (Kelowna, B.C.) discusses what is known about the link between household mould and atopic dermatitis.
Additional presentations include the experience of dermatologists practicing in Greenland, the role of Indigenous nurses in improving outcome equity, the problems posed by broadband internet shortages in remote regions and the barrier that represents to effective teledermatology, and an introduction to dermatopathology in skin of colour.
Registration for health professionals and medical students to attend the virtual meeting is free. Register here now:
From the literature on dermatology in skin of colour
Barriers to dermatologic care for American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals at urban Indian organizations
This paper details a U.S. provider survey conducted to better understand barriers to dermatologic care for American Indian or Alaskan Native individuals receiving care through urban Indian organizations and the providers’ interest in dermatology teleconsulting.
Surveys were distributed to providers by the medical director or clinic manager at each clinic across 31 Urban Indian Organizations between March 2021 to June 2021 or Sept. 2021 to Oct. 2021.
Fifteen out of 31 providers (48%) reported either poor or very poor access to dermatology specialists, which was the highest among the 17 specialties represented. The majority of providers reported a lack of insurance (74%) and out-of-pocket costs (61.3%) as significant barriers to dermatologic care. Also, a majority of providers, 74%, reported being interested or very interested in participating in a teleconsulting program with dermatologists for management of common dermatologic conditions.
Pigmented squamous cell carcinoma in a non-photo-exposed area of an Indigenous woman
This is the case report of a 67-year-old Indigenous woman, living on a reservation in the north of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The patient, previously hypertensive and a smoker, reported an erythematous area on her left thigh that had persisted for more than 10 years, with radial growth and mild pruritus. She had an infiltrated erythematous, brownish, hyperkeratotic plaque on the proximal portion of the left thigh, in an area that was not photo-exposed. Physicians found no evidence of solar elastosis around the lesion, and there was no enlargement of the inguinal lymph nodes. Dermoscopy showed deposits of a black pigment, erythema, and central linear vessels, in addition to glomerular vessels and peripheral striae.
Further investigation confirmed the lesion was pigmented Bowen's disease.
Physicians initially prescribed imiquimod 50 mg/g cream to reduce the lesion and facilitate excision, but the response was not satisfactory. The lesion was excised with a Limberg flap, and the anatomopathological analysis showed invasion of the deep reticular dermis, characterizing pigmented squamous cell carcinoma.
Finding yaws among Indigenous people: Lessons from case detection surveys in Luzon and Visayas island groups of the Philippines
The authors of this paper aimed to detect at least one active or latent yaws case in the island groups of Luzon and Visayas. They note that cases of yaws—a chronic, highly contagious skin and bone infection—were confirmed in the Liguasan Marsh, Mindanao Island group, Southern Philippines, in 2017, but there were no cases confirmed in the Luzon and Visayas Island groups.
Active yaws surveillance was conducted by inviting healthcare providers to report suspected cases of yaws. Five remote villages were included in the case detection surveys: three in Luzon and two in the Visayas Island groups. As well, investigators included two Indigenous peoples communities: Aetas of Quezon and Dumagat/Remontados of Rizal provinces. Trained field personnel conducted free skin check-ups of children, household contacts, and community members. Patients with suspected yaws underwent point-of-care serologic tests for T. pallidum and nontreponemal antibodies.
A total of 239 participants were screened for skin diseases, and 103 had serologic tests. Only the Aetas of Quezon province, Luzon, had confirmed yaws cases. Nineteen cases (54.3%) were detected among 35 Aetas: five active yaws (four children, one adult), two latent yaws (adults), and 12 past yaws (one child, 11 adults). An eight-year-old boy had yaws with skeletal deformities.
Racial and ethnic underrepresentation in dermatology clinical trials
To evaluate racial and ethnic representation in dermatology clinical trials, researchers compared participant data from dermatology trials completed in the U.S. from 2017 to 2021 to census data. Trial data was collected from ClinicalTrials.gov.
The investigators compared participation with prevalence rates for the most underrepresented racial group.
Of 246 trials that met inclusion criteria, 87.4% (215) reported racial data. Compared to census data, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and two or more races were underrepresented. Hispanic or Latinos were an underrepresented ethnic group.
VIDEO: Dose of Derm - Episode 8: Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis
Medical students Iryna Savinova and Emma Holjak interview Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis of Regina. Topics covered include Dr. Asiniwasis’ experience creating the only Indigenous dermatology clinic in Canada, the use of virtual care to serve rural communities, and considerations on providing care to Indigenous patients and communities.
At the intersection of skin and society
On Nov. 14, 2023, the Indigenous Business Education Partners at the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, announced the winners of the 2023 Visionary Indigenous Business (VIBE) awards.
According to a press release from the university, the awards recognize the achievements of Indigenous businesses, business leaders, and entrepreneurs in Manitoba.
The 2023 VIBE Award recipients are Dreamcatcher Promotions and La Brasserie Nonsuch Brewing Co.
Dreamcatcher Promotions, founded in 2012 by CEO and owner Michelle Cameron, is Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned promotional company, with roughly 95% of its clientele being Indigenous. Dreamcatcher offers organizations, communities, and artists opportunities to create custom apparel and promotional items that suit their unique needs and voices.
La Brasserie Nonsuch is a Métis-Francophone majority-owned business led by president Matthew Sabourin. Founded in 2017, the craft brewery has won more national beer and brewery awards than any other Manitoban brewery, and it earned the #2 spot on the Globe and Mail’s 2019 list of best new restaurants on the prairies.
This week
Nov. 20 is World Children’s Day
Nov. 23 is Carer’s Rights Day in the U.K.
Nov. 24 is National Native American Heritage Day in the U.S.
Something to think about in the week ahead. . .
—Saint Teresa of Avila, Spanish Saint, [1515 to 1582]
Next week
California dermatologist Dr. Philip R. Cohen and his colleagues have developed a colourimetric scale for categorizing skin of colour. The scale is intended for use in clinical assessment, dermatologic management, and forensic evaluations.
If you like Skin Spectrum Weekly, why not check out Chronicle’s other publications, podcasts, and portal?
Established in 1995, The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy is a scientific newspaper providing news and information on practical therapeutics and clinical progress in dermatologic medicine. The latest issue features:
Drs. Irina Turchin (Fredericton, N.B.), Ron Vender (Hamilton, Ont.), and Ashley O’Toole (Peterborough, Ont.) discuss advances in psoriasis treatment.
Dr. Joel DeKoven (Toronto) details the most common contact allergens based on North American Contact Dermatitis Group data.
An essay from Dr. Fabian Rodriguez-Bolanosi (Toronto) submitted to the 2022 Dermatology Industry Taskforce on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (DiTiDE) short essay contest. Dr. Rodriguez-Bolanosi wrote about his experience working with Black women in the hair clinic.
Plus regular features, including the popular column “Vender on Psoriasis” by dermatologist Dr. Ron Vender
Read a recent digital edition of The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy here. To apply for a complimentary* subscription or to receive a sample copy, please email health@chronicle.org with your contact information.
The Women in Dermatology e-newsletter updates new findings concerning dermatologic issues that affect women and the female dermatologists who care for them. Read the current issue here.
Season three the Vender on Psoriasis podcast with Dr. Ron Vender has begun. Listen to the new season here. In episode one, Dr. Vender discusses Psoriasis Area and Severity Index thresholds, migraines and psoriasis, and the importance of the feel of topical treatments to patients.
And if you’re looking for a web destination for all things derm, visit derm.city, “Where Dermatology Lives.” Please like, rate, review, and share it with your colleagues.