Abstract
Working in healthcare is regarded as a risk factor for occupational skin disease. Workers are exposed to disinfectants, soaps, detergents and latex and need to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly. To investigate the association between healthcare work and patch test reactions to various potential sensitizers in a population of contact dermatitis patients in various dermatology and occupational medicine units in north-eastern Italy. Patients with suspected allergic dermatitis underwent patch testing. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted by age and sex, were calculated for healthcare workers (HCWs), using white-collar workers as control group. HCWs represented 14% of the sample of 19088 patients (68% women, 32% men). Among HCWs, both sexes had a higher risk of developing hand/forearm dermatitis (females: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.8-2.5; males: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1). HCWs had an increased risk of sensitization to formaldehyde (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.2-2.3) and to p-phenylenediamine (OR 1.6; CI 1.1-2.3). Our study suggests a significant association between healthcare work, hand/forearm dermatitis and sensitization to formaldehyde and p-phenylenediamine.
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