Hand eczema among University Hospital nursing staff: identification of high-risk sector and impact on quality of life

• Published in: Contact dermatitis Vol. 59; no. 5; pp. 301 - 306
• Main Authors: Lan, Cheng-Che E., Feng, Wen-Wei, Lu, Yi-Wei, Wu, Ching-Shuang, Hung, Shih-Ting, Hsu, Hui-Yu, Yu, Hsin-Su, Ko, Ying-Chin, Lee, Chien-Hung, Yang, Yi-Hsin, Chen, Gwo-Shing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2008; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Allergic diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dermatitis, Occupational - diagnosis; Dermatitis, Occupational - epidemiology; Eczema - diagnosis; Eczema - epidemiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hand Dermatoses - diagnosis; Hand Dermatoses - epidemiology; hand eczema; Hospitals, University; Humans; Immunopathology; Incidence; life quality; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; nurse; Nursing Staff - statistics & numerical data; Odds Ratio; Probability; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Distribution; Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies; special care unit; Taiwan - epidemiology; Taiwan; Human; Allergy; Immunopathology; High risk; Skin disease; Teaching hospital; life quality; special care unit; Health staff; hand eczema; Identification; Hand; Care; Quality of life; Nursing; Eczema; Nurse
• ISSN: 0105-1873; 1600-0536
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2008.01439.x

Background:  Hand eczema is a commonly encountered occupational disease and has a negative impact on life quality. Objective:  This study aimed to identify the specific conditions that may pose a higher risk for occurrence of hand eczema and evaluate the impact of hand eczema on life quality. Method:  Nursing staff from a university hospital were invited to participate in a cross‐sectional study. Validated questionnaires for hand eczema and life quality were used to evaluate the point prevalence and determine the impacts of hand eczema, respectively. Results:  The overall response rate was 93%, equivalent to 1132 completed questionnaires. Two hundred and forty‐eight (22%) reported occurrence of hand eczema. Occurrence of hand eczema was significantly associated with nursing for >10 years and working in a special care unit, with prevalences of 27% and 26%, respectively. In addition, hand eczema was associated with suboptimal life quality; pruritus or burning sensations were associated with a lower quality of life among those with hand eczema. Conclusion:  Hand eczema is a work‐related problem for nursing staff; proper preventive programmes should be implemented for those nursing staff working in high‐risk areas to avoid further lowering of their quality of life.