Occupational hand eczema and/or contact urticaria: factors associated with change of profession or not remaining in the workforce

• Published in: Contact dermatitis Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 55 - 63
• Main Authors: Carøe, Tanja K., Ebbehøj, Niels E., Bonde, Jens P., Agner, Tove
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: change of profession; contact allergy; contact dermatitis; Dermatitis; Eczema; Hand; irritants; job change; Medical personnel; occupational contact eczema; positive patch test; Social interactions; Urticaria; contact allergy; change of profession; positive patch test; job change; occupational contact eczema; contact dermatitis; irritants
• ISSN: 0105-1873; 1600-0536
• DOI: 10.1111/cod.12869

Summary Background Occupational hand eczema and/or contact urticaria may have social consequences such as change of profession or not remaining in the workforce. Objectives To identify factors associated with job change in a cohort of participants with recognised occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria Methods A registry‐based study including 2703 employees with recognised occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria in Denmark in 2010/2011. Four to five years later the participants received a follow‐up questionnaire, comprising questions on current job situation (response rate 58.0%). Results At follow‐up, 51.3% of the participants were no longer in the same profession. 32.5% had changed profession and 18.8% were no longer in employment. Change of profession was associated with young age, positive patch test, low educational level and severity of hand eczema/contact urticaria. With regard to specific professions, cleaning personnel changed profession significantly more often than other workers [71.4% (OR = 2.26)], health care workers significantly less often than other workers [34.0% (OR = 0.36)]. Conclusion Job change occurs frequently during the first years after recognition of occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria and more often among patients with positive patch test reactions, with severe hand eczema/contact urticaria. Whether job changes improve the prognosis of occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria remains to be established.