An analysis of the colloquial vocabulary used to describe selected skin problems by residents of Tarnow area (Southern Poland)

Krol, Magdalena; Kalicinska, Jadwiga; Spiewak, Radoslaw

doi:10.14320/EMK.2024.002.en

Estetologia Medyczna i Kosmetologia

An analysis of the colloquial vocabulary used to describe selected skin problems by residents of Tarnow area (Southern Poland)

Magdalena Krol, Jadwiga Kalicinska, Radoslaw Spiewak

Recommended citation format: Krol M, Kalicinska J, Spiewak R: An analysis of the colloquial vocabulary used to describe selected skin problems by residents of Tarnow area (Southern Poland). Estetol Med Kosmetol 2024; 14: 002.en. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.14320/EMK.2024.002.en

Abstract

An important condition for effective communication in medical facilities and beauty salons is the language used, i.e. words. The specialist vocabulary used by medical personnel may be incomprehensible to patients. Aim:The aim of this study was to analyze the colloquial vocabulary used to describe selected skin lesions and problems by the inhabitants of Tarnów and the surrounding area. Materials and methods: A questionnaire survey consisting of 20 questions was administered to all participants. The survey was conducted in February and March 2019 among residents of Tarnów and the surrounding area. The study included high school students studying at the 4th General Secondary School in Tarnów and people working at the Dębno Commune Office in Wola Dębińska and at the Primary School in Biadoliny Radłowskie. Results: The study involved 188 high school students (132 women and 56 men aged 16-19) and 102 working people (86 women and 16 men aged 20-79). Mostly high school students declared skin changes and problems. According to declared answers with changes or skin problems ever 82% high school students and 64% of employed people experienced in their lives. The occurrence of the most common acne lesion (pustule) at the time of completing the survey was reported by 45% of high school students (95%CI: 37,6–51,8%) and 6% of working people (95%CI: 1,3–10,4%), and ever in life 73% of high school students (95%CI: 66,5–79,2%) and 48% working people (95%CI: 38,3–57,7%) . Among the terms used by high school students to describe the most common acne changes, dominant words were "pryszcz", wchich could be translated into English as ("pimple) (46%), "trądzik" ("acne") (10%), "syf" ("syph") (8%), "pryszcz ropny" ("purulent pimple") (2%). Working persons would use words such as "pryszcz" ("pimple") (26%), "trądzik" ("acne") (13%), "wyprysk" ("boil") (11%), and "krosta" ("pustule") (8%). Conclusions: The most common acne lesion among the inhabitants of Tarnow and the surrounding area is the pustule, which occurs in 7 out of 10 high school students and in 5 out of 10 employed. The vocabulary of the inhabitants of Tarnow and the surrounding area used in the description of skin problems is dominated by words that do not appear in the medical dictionary. High school students from Malopolska more often than working people use colloquial vocabulary to describe skin changes and problems, the most popular term among the respondents is "pimple". The vast majority of people with acne lesions cannot name them correctly. The Internet is the most frequently chosen source of information by high school students from Malopolska and working people.

Keywords: patient-doctor communication, skin problems, skin changes, colloquial vocabulary, patients' language, plain language, lay terminology.

| Polish version |

Estetologia Medyczna i Kosmetologia online - www.estetologia.pl
Open Access, online ISSN 2084-2007; print ISSN 2084-199X, DOI: 10.14320/EstetolMedKosmetol
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Document created: 13 October 2024, last updated: 31 October 2024
© Radosław Śpiewak Instytut Dermatologii