Hand eczema, wet work exposure, and quality of life in health care workers in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Background: The focus on hand hygiene during the pandemic has been reported to increase the hand eczema (HE) prevalence in health care workers (HCWs); however, detailed prospective data are missing. Objective: To evaluate changes in HE prevalence, exposures, and health-related quality of life among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, HCWs employed at the hospitals in Copenhagen responded to a digital questionnaire at the beginning of the pandemic and 11 months thereafter. Results: A total of 795 HCWs responded to both questionnaires (83.4% women). The calculated 1-year HE prevalence decreased from 16.0% at baseline to 13.0% at follow-up. The number of hand washings decreased significantly, whereas the use of alcohol-based hand rubs on wet skin increased significantly. In a logistic regression model, increased use of alcohol-based hand rubs on wet skin was associated with HE at follow-up (odds ratio, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.11-2.87). Health-related quality of life worsened slightly at follow-up, with HE severity and frequent flareups being risk factors for a reduced health-related quality of life. Limitations: Sample size. Conclusion: In contrast to previous studies undertaken during the pandemic, we found a relatively low and stable HE prevalence. Our findings suggest that the interaction between changed exposures and HE is complex and cannot be linked to a single factor.
Original language | English |
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Journal | JAAD International |
Volume | 7 |
Pages (from-to) | 86-94 |
Number of pages | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:
Funding sources: Supported by The Health Foundation and the Augustinus Foundation . The foundations had no role in the study design, the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, the writing of the paper, and the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc.
- COVID-19, dermatitis, epidemiology, hand eczema, health-related quality of life, risk factors
Research areas
ID: 314387624