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Hand eczema in healthcare workers : a questionnaire survey of risk factors and work-related exposures

Hamnerius, N. LU ; Bergendorff, O. LU ; Bruze, M. LU ; Svedman, C. LU and Pontén, A. LU (2016) 13th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis In Contact Dermatitis 75(S1).
Abstract
Recent data on the prevalence and causes of hand eczema among healthcare workers in Sweden are lacking. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have necessitated improved hand hygiene and preventive measures. This has led to an increase in the use of disposable rubber gloves and hand disinfectants, which might influence the risk of hand eczema. Our aims were to identify healthcare workers with hand eczema; to estimate quantitative and qualitative exposure to rubber gloves, hand disinfectants and other exposures; and to survey constitutional factors. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all employees at the hospitals in southern Sweden. The results were statistically analysed using χ2-tests and binary logistic regression. The 1-year... (More)
Recent data on the prevalence and causes of hand eczema among healthcare workers in Sweden are lacking. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have necessitated improved hand hygiene and preventive measures. This has led to an increase in the use of disposable rubber gloves and hand disinfectants, which might influence the risk of hand eczema. Our aims were to identify healthcare workers with hand eczema; to estimate quantitative and qualitative exposure to rubber gloves, hand disinfectants and other exposures; and to survey constitutional factors. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all employees at the hospitals in southern Sweden. The results were statistically analysed using χ2-tests and binary logistic regression. The 1-year prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 20% among the responding 9051 nurses and physicians. On a daily basis, 30% reported hand washing >20 times at work, 45% reported using hand disinfectants >50 times, and 28% used >20 pairs of nonsterile rubber gloves. The prevalence of hand eczema was significantly higher among the employees reporting a higher exposure to hand washing, hand disinfectants and rubber gloves than in those reporting a lower exposure. The prevalence of hand eczema was also significantly higher among respondents with a history of childhood eczema, who were smokers, who had a body mass index >30 kgm-2, who spent >30 min per day working in the kitchen or who had children aged (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
hand sanitizer, rubber, body mass, chi square test, child, childhood, clinical study, controlled study, doctor nurse relation, employee, exposure, glove, hand eczema, hand washing, health care personnel, hospital, human, logistic regression analysis, prevalence, prevention, questionnaire, risk factor, smoking, Sweden
in
Contact Dermatitis
volume
75
issue
S1
article number
P094
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
conference name
13th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis
conference location
Manchester, United Kingdom
conference dates
2016-09-14 - 2016-09-17
external identifiers
  • scopus:84976904114
ISSN
0105-1873
DOI
10.1111/cod.12637
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
64671a56-c16f-45dd-8567-e7904bfb32d6
date added to LUP
2017-06-15 14:05:44
date last changed
2022-08-24 18:54:44
@misc{64671a56-c16f-45dd-8567-e7904bfb32d6,
  abstract     = {{Recent data on the prevalence and causes of hand eczema among healthcare workers in Sweden are lacking. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have necessitated improved hand hygiene and preventive measures. This has led to an increase in the use of disposable rubber gloves and hand disinfectants, which might influence the risk of hand eczema. Our aims were to identify healthcare workers with hand eczema; to estimate quantitative and qualitative exposure to rubber gloves, hand disinfectants and other exposures; and to survey constitutional factors. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all employees at the hospitals in southern Sweden. The results were statistically analysed using χ2-tests and binary logistic regression. The 1-year prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 20% among the responding 9051 nurses and physicians. On a daily basis, 30% reported hand washing >20 times at work, 45% reported using hand disinfectants >50 times, and 28% used >20 pairs of nonsterile rubber gloves. The prevalence of hand eczema was significantly higher among the employees reporting a higher exposure to hand washing, hand disinfectants and rubber gloves than in those reporting a lower exposure. The prevalence of hand eczema was also significantly higher among respondents with a history of childhood eczema, who were smokers, who had a body mass index >30 kgm-2, who spent >30 min per day working in the kitchen or who had children aged}},
  author       = {{Hamnerius, N. and Bergendorff, O. and Bruze, M. and Svedman, C. and Pontén, A.}},
  issn         = {{0105-1873}},
  keywords     = {{hand sanitizer; rubber; body mass; chi square test; child; childhood; clinical study; controlled study; doctor nurse relation; employee; exposure; glove; hand eczema; hand washing; health care personnel; hospital; human; logistic regression analysis; prevalence; prevention; questionnaire; risk factor; smoking; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  note         = {{Conference Abstract}},
  number       = {{S1}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Contact Dermatitis}},
  title        = {{Hand eczema in healthcare workers : a questionnaire survey of risk factors and work-related exposures}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cod.12637}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/cod.12637}},
  volume       = {{75}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}