Kristiina Aalto-Korte1, Kirsi Koskela2, Maria Pesonen1. 1. Occupational health unit, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Helsinki, Finland. 2. Occupational health unit, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Tampere, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health care workers are an important risk group for occupational skin disease (OSD). AIMS: To study diagnoses and causes of health care workers' OSDs in the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases (FROD) in 2005-2016. METHODS: We searched the FROD for dermatological cases (1) in health care-related occupations defined by ISCO-08 and (2) in the industrial branch of health care defined by European industry standard classification system (NACE rev. 2). RESULTS: Health care workers comprised 19% of all OSD cases in the FROD, and irritant contact dermatitis dominated the diagnoses. Nurses and assistant nurses were the largest occupational groups with incidence rates of 3.3 and 2.7/10000 person years, respectively. Rubber chemicals were by far the most common causative agents of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) followed by preservatives. The latter mainly comprised isothiazolinones and formaldehyde. Acrylates were important allergens in dental professions. Metals and coconut fatty acid derivatives were the next largest causative groups for ACD. Drugs caused only 1% of the ACD cases. CONCLUSIONS: Workers in different health care occupations don't have a uniform risk for OSD, but they share the risk for ACD due to rubber chemicals and various preservatives. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
BACKGROUND: Health care workers are an important risk group for occupational skin disease (OSD). AIMS: To study diagnoses and causes of health care workers' OSDs in the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases (FROD) in 2005-2016. METHODS: We searched the FROD for dermatological cases (1) in health care-related occupations defined by ISCO-08 and (2) in the industrial branch of health care defined by European industry standard classification system (NACE rev. 2). RESULTS: Health care workers comprised 19% of all OSD cases in the FROD, and irritant contact dermatitis dominated the diagnoses. Nurses and assistant nurses were the largest occupational groups with incidence rates of 3.3 and 2.7/10000 person years, respectively. Rubber chemicals were by far the most common causative agents of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) followed by preservatives. The latter mainly comprised isothiazolinones and formaldehyde. Acrylates were important allergens in dental professions. Metals and coconut fatty acid derivatives were the next largest causative groups for ACD. Drugs caused only 1% of the ACD cases. CONCLUSIONS: Workers in different health care occupations don't have a uniform risk for OSD, but they share the risk for ACD due to rubber chemicals and various preservatives. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Authors: Nils Hamnerius; Ann Pontén; Ola Bergendorff; Magnus Bruze; Jonas Björk; Cecilia Svedman Journal: Acta Derm Venereol Date: 2021-09-08 Impact factor: 3.875