title: Hand and upper extremity function in workers with hand dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional methods of assessing impairment associated with skin conditions focus on clinical severity, medication usage, activities of daily living, and quality of life. Assessment of function and ability to work may provide important additional information when determining readiness to work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to gain an understanding of the functional impairment of the hand and upper extremity associated with hand dermatitis and the impact of hand dermatitis on quality of life, work instability, and productivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two patients with suspected contact dermatitis of the hands participated in physical and functional assessments of the upper extremity and patient-reported questionnaires including Dermatology Life Quality Index, Short Form 36 Health Survey, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH), Work Instability Scale, and Work Limitations Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Numbness and finger joint restrictions were moderate to severe in 29% and 30% of the workers, respectively. Positive Tinel and/or Phalen signs occurred in 25%. Forty-eight percent reported moderate-to-high work instability, and 31% reported a greater than 10% decrease in work productivity. Thirty-five percent missed work in the past year, 19% were doing a different job, and 9% were not working.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with hand dermatitis demonstrate significant functional compromise of the hand and a decrease in ability to work.
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. holnessl@smh.ca
authors.forename: D Linn
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Holness
authors.forename: Dorcas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beaton
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harniman
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeKoven
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skotnicki
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Switzer-McIntyre
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult