Abstract
BackgroundHand eczema is common in the general population and affects women twice as often as men. It is also the most frequent occupational skin disease. The economic consequences are considerable for society and for the affected individuals.MethodsTo investigate the prevalence and incidence of hand eczema and to evaluate risk factors for development of hand eczema in young adults. Subjects and methods; This is a prospective follow-up study of 2,403 young adults, 16 – 19 years old in 1995 and aged 29 – 32 years, 13 years later, in 2008. They completed a postal questionnaire that included questions regarding one-year prevalence of hand eczema, childhood eczema, asthma, rhino-conjunctivitis and factors considered to affect hand eczema such as hand-washing, washing and cleaning, cooking, taking care of small children and usage of moisturisers. These factors were evaluated with the multinominal logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe one-year prevalence of hand eczema was 15.8% (females 20.3% and males 10.0%, p < 0.001). The incidence was 11.6 cases per 1000 person-years (females 14.3 and males 5.2, p < 0.001). Childhood eczema was the most important risk factor for hand eczema. The odds ratios were 13.17 when having hand eczema 1995 and 2008 compared to 5.17 in 2008 (p < 0.001). A high frequency of hand washing was important in predicting hand eczema only when having 1-year prevalence 2008, OR 1.02 (p = 0.038).ConclusionsAfter 13 years an increased 1-year prevalence of hand eczema was found. The significant risk factors for hand eczema changed over time from endogenous to exogenous factors.
Highlights
Hand eczema is common in the general population and affects women twice as often as men
Out of the 2,403 participants from the original cohort who received a questionnaire in the mail, 1,516 responded to the questionnaire, which was a response rate of 63%; 56% of the respondents were females
In 2008 there were no significant differences between the respondents and nonrespondents in reporting 1-year prevalence of hand eczema in 1995 (p = 0.677)
Summary
Hand eczema is common in the general population and affects women twice as often as men. It is the most frequent occupational skin disease. Hand eczema is common in the general population. Hand eczema is 1.5 – 2 times more common in females compared with males [2,3]. Swedish estimates of 1-year prevalence of hand eczema in different age-groups have varied from 6.5% to 11.8% [4,5,6]. Among Swedish 20–29 year-olds, the 1year prevalence of hand eczema was reported to range from 7.5% to 10.8% [3,4]. Hand eczema is the most common occupational skin disease [7]
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