Ethnic Difference in Skin Infection Rates: An Analysis of Electronic Health Records.

Diagnosis and prescription data in the electronic health records (EHR) of a New Zealand primary care clinic are analyzed to identify skin infection occurrences in support of a public health initiative. High prevalence of this disease and substantial differences in the prevalence and occurrence rates among ethnic groups are identified. The findings indicate application potential of the analysis algorithm in public health for identifying the population groups with high needs and assessing intervention impact.