title: Results from a community-based occupational health survey of Vietnamese-American nail salon workers.
abstract: A community-university collaborative partnership assessed self-reported work-related health effects and environmental factors in Boston's Vietnamese immigrant community via an interviewer-assisted survey. Seventy-one nail technicians responded. Musculoskeletal disorders, skin problems, respiratory irritation and headaches were commonly reported as work-related, as were poor air quality, dusts and offensive odors. The reporting of a work-related respiratory symptom was significantly associated with the reporting of exposure factors such as poorer air quality. Absence of skin disorders was associated with glove use and musculoskeletal symptoms were associated with years worked as a nail technician. Work-related health effects may be common in nail salon work. Chemical and musculoskeletal hazards should be reduced through product and equipment redesign.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Kitson 200H, 1 University Ave, Lowell, MA 01854, USA. cora_roelofs@uml.edu
authors.forename: Cora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roelofs
authors.forename: Lenore S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Azaroff
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holcroft
authors.forename: Huong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Tam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Doan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001213:Asian; D001505:Beauty Culture; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational