title: First results from the multicentre study rehabilitation of occupational skin diseases--optimization and quality assurance of inpatient management (ROQ).
abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. The German stepwise procedure of handling occupational skin diseases (OSDs) offers interdisciplinary integrated (inpatient/outpatient) rehabilitation measures [tertiary individual prevention (TIP)] for severe OSD. In 2005, a prospective cohort multicentre study was started in order to evaluate TIP.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight patients with severe OSD were treated and educated in five clinics with follow-up before and 4 weeks after return to work.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the inpatient phase, there was a significant improvement in the severity of OSD (Osnabrueck Hand Eczema Severity Index, p < 0.001) and in the quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index, p < 0.001). These effects were largely sustained during the outpatient follow-up phase and in the 4 weeks after return to work. Among all patients, 89.4% used topical steroids before TIP, including 52.5% using high-grade topical steroids; 93.2% of the patients were able to refrain from using topical steroids before returning to work. As a result of TIP, return to work was possible for 1587 patients (88.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The primary objectives of TIP (return to work, improvement of OSD, enhancement of quality of life, and reduction in the use of topical steroids) were successfully met. The long-term follow-up (1 and 3 years after TIP) will examine whether these favourable outcomes can be sustained.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine, Health Theory, University of Osnabrueck, D-49090 Osnabrueck, Germany. cskudlik@uos.de
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Skudlik
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Weisshaar
authors: Reginald
authors: R
authors: Scheidt
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Elsner
authors: Britta
authors: B
authors: Wulfhorst
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Schönfeld
authors: Swen Malte
authors: SM
authors: John
authors: Thomas Ludwig
authors: TL
authors: Diepgen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055512:Tertiary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids