Epidemiology of Premature graying of hair
A cross-sectional study on prevalence and factors associated with hair graying at a young age.
Project Background: The motivation for understanding the presence of gray hair in the younger population came when I noticed the silver strands in my hair, as well as in the scalps of many of my batchmates. I wanted to explore whether medical students were particularly predisposed to this condition. Literature has shown Premature hair graying(PHG) is a consequence of stem cell depletion in hair follicles, a mechanism also common to aging. The connection to increased rates of aging interested me even further. Since hair health can be an indicator of the underlying health status of the individual and the population, exploration of the epidemiology of premature hair graying becomes essential.
Importance: This project established a high prevalence of premature graying of hair in medical students, particularly in the region of Western Rajasthan, India. Although family history was the strongest correlating factor, there was also an association found between sociodemographic factors(age, rural residence), lifestyle (dietary habits), and PHG. These associations and a high prevalence call for further research and attention into the association between stressors, physical factors (e.g., sun exposure), and dietary deficiencies common to medical students and students belonging to the western Rajasthan area.
Skills learned:
- Study design and sample size estimation.
- Hypothesis development.
- Questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey.
- data collection and data analysis(t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression).
- Bias and confounder analysis.
- Literature review, Manuscript writing, and Peer-reviewed publication.
