Prevalence of Melasma Among Premenopausal Latino Women in Dallas and Fort Worth, TX, USA

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of melasma in Latino women is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a valid instrument for determining the presence of melasma in Latino women and to administer this instrument by telephone to premenopausal Latino women living in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. METHODS: A questionnaire to investigate rates of self-reported melasma was developed and validated. This questionnaire was used to interview 500 premenopausal Latino women by telephone. RESULTS: The questionnaire was found to have a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 82%. The prevalence of melasma in 500 premenopausal Latino women was 8.8%. Spanish as a primary language was found to be an important risk factor for self-reporting melasma. CONCLUSION: Melasma is common among premenopausal Latino women in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, especially among Spanish-speakers. A validated English and Spanish instrument has been developed which can be used to determine the prevalence of melasma.