title: Workplace screening for hand dermatitis: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk for developing occupational skin disease (OSD) such as dermatitis primarily due to exposure to wet work. Identification of risk factors and workplace screening can help early detection of OSD to avoid the condition becoming chronic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine risk factors and clinical findings for hand dermatitis using a workplace screening tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  Employees at a large teaching hospital in Toronto, Canada, were invited to complete a two-part hand dermatitis screening tool. Part 1 inquired about hand hygiene practices and Part 2 comprised a visual assessment of participants' hands by a health professional and classification as (i) normal, (ii) mild dermatitis or (iii) moderate/severe dermatitis. Risk factors were determined using chi-square and Cochran-Armitage analysis on a dichotomous variable, where Yes represented either a mild or moderate/severe disease classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 183 participants out of 643 eligible employees; response rate 28%. Mild or moderate/severe dermatitis was present in 72% of participants. These employees were more likely to work directly with patients, have worked longer in a health care setting, wash hands and change gloves more frequently, wear gloves for more hours per day, have a history of eczema or dermatitis and report a current rash on the hands or rash in the past 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high percentage of HCWs with dermatitis and risk factors for dermatitis. These findings argue for increased attention to prevention and early identification of hand dermatitis and support further testing of the workplace screening tool.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Academic Practice, University Health Network, Toronto M5G 2C3, Canada, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of   Toronto, Toronto M5T 3M7, Canada, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, Toronto M5T 1R4, Canada, Quality, Patient Safety and Professional Practice, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada, kathryn.nichol@uhn.ca.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of   Toronto, Toronto M5T 3M7, Canada, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, Toronto M5T 1R4, Canada, Environmental and Occupational Health, Public Health Ontario, Toronto M5G 1V2, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Copes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Academic Practice, University Health Network, Toronto M5G 2C3, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kersey
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Academic Practice, University Health Network, Toronto M5G 2C3, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of   Toronto, Toronto M5T 3M7, Canada, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, Toronto M5T 1R4, Canada, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1W8, Canada, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G 2C4, Canada.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Holness
mesh_terms: D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004485:Eczema; D005076:Exanthema / Q000209:etiology; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006225:Hand / Q000473:pathology*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006282:Health Personnel; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014867:Water / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014937:Work; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Dermatitis; health care workers; occupational skin disease; screening.