title: Hand dermatitis among medical students from north Queensland, Australia.
abstract: Although hand dermatitis (HD) is a frequent occurrence for many health professionals, little is known about the prevalence of HD among medical students, particularly in Australia. A questionnaire-based survey of HD was administered to 261 students at a medical school in tropical northern Australia during 2004 (98.9% response rate). The prevalence of HD varied by year of study, ranging from 9.7% to 20.4% (P=0.322), with an overall prevalence of 17.4%. HD prevalence was significantly higher in those with current allergic disease (P=0.012). Some students (13.8%) reported a reaction immediately after exposure to latex products, a finding which was associated with higher prevalence of HD (P=0.001). HD may be more prevalent among students of a tropical Australian medical school than among their counterparts studied elsewhere. The identification of allergy as a significant correlate again stresses the importance of allergic disease and its relationship with skin conditions.
authors.affiliation: Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. peter.leggat@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: Peter Adrian
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Leggat
authors.forename: Derek Richard
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires