Prevalence and risk factors for hand eczema among professional hospital cleaners in Denmark: A cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundProfessional cleaners are commonly affected by hand eczema (HE) due to wet work and exposure to cleaning products in the work environment.ObjectiveTo investigate (1) the prevalence of HE in a group of professional hospital cleaners, (2) the association of HE with various comorbidities and self‐reported signs/symptoms of skin lesions and (3) the association of HE with various occupational and personal risk factors in the same population.MethodsA cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based study including all cleaners working in three hospitals in Denmark. The questionnaire was composed of 35 questions. Prevalence is reported using proportions with 95% confidence intervals and compared using difference of proportions and Fisher's exact test.ResultsA total of 122 out of 180 cleaners (response rate = 68%) participated in this study. The self‐reported lifetime prevalence of HE among the cleaners was 30.3%, while the 1‐year prevalence was 18.9%. HE was significantly associated with a history of atopic diseases. There was a significant correlation between having HE, and self‐reported redness and itch of the hands in the last 12 months, as well as the use of hydrochloric acid ≥4 days/week during the last 12 months. Logistic regression analysis found HE significantly associated with washing hands ≥20 times during a working day and a history of atopic dermatitis.ConclusionCleaners are at an elevated risk of developing HE. More focus on education/information regarding the prevention and treatment of HE is necessary for the cleaning profession. Self‐reported redness and itching of the hands may be a useful prediction of HE in cleaners.