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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Rebecca Smith, MD1, Stacey Tull, MD, MPH2, and Bradley Evanoff, MD, MPH1. (1) Division of General Medical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus box 8005, 660 South Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-454-8638, bevanoff@im.wustl.edu, (2) Division of Dermatology, Washington Universiy School of Medicine, Campus Box 8005, 660 South Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of occupational dermatitis on quality of life, work status, and job changes. METHODS: Cross-sectional study at a university medical center. All hospital employees who had a recorded case of dermatitis on the OSHA 200 logs were invited to complete a questionnaire which included work status, changes in work practices, job satisfaction, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). RESULTS: Twenty subjects returned questionnaires (response rate=49%). No subjects lost work days due to dermatitis, and at the time of the follow up 75% were working in the same job as before their illness, and 94% were working without restrictions. However, substantial impairment of quality-of-life was indicated by a mean DLQI score of 11.5 (SD=7.2). Eighty-nine percent of subjects indicated that their dermatitis interfered with their work; 80% of workers had made changes at work as a result of their illness, although job duties were not changed in 90% of cases. Handwashing and gloving changes included using moisturizer more often, using foam cleanser, and using non-powdered gloves or non-latex gloves. Ninety percent of subjects reported no increased concern for transmission of infection. Most (90%) subjects reported being very or somewhat satisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional measures of disability, such as lost work days or work restrictions, may not capture the full extent of the effects of occupational dermatitis. In our survey, most employees reported that their dermatitis affected their ability to work, and had an adverse effect on their quality-of-life.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Disability, Occupational Disease
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.