Prevalence of work-related skin symptoms and associated factors among tertiary hospital workers exposed to cleaning agents in Southern Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Working with cleaning products is associated with occupational contact dermatitis in health workers (HWs), but information on predictors for these outcomes is limited.

Objectives

This study investigated the prevalence of work-related skin symptoms (WRSS) and associated factors in HWs exposed to cleaning agents in two Southern African tertiary hospitals.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 697 HWs used an interviewer-administered questionnaire and assessed for atopy using Phadiatop.

Results

HWs' median age was 42 years, 77.0% were female and 42.5% were atopic. The prevalence of WRSS in the last 12 months was 14.8%, 12.3% had probable contact dermatitis (PCD) and 3.2% had probable contact urticaria (PCU). Technicians (OR_adj 3.91) and tasks

SUBMITTER: Sonday Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10530256 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature