The Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire

Background and aims: The hospital staff services due to their jobs are daily exposed with disinfectant and cleaning substances and the exposure with these materials will cause dermatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the affection risk to skin symptoms in hospital staff services due to continuous exposure to detergents and disinfectants. Methods: In this cross-sectional study 170 male and female staff services in both Educational hospitals of Yazd were evaluated. Using Nordic questionnaire about the frequency of skin symptoms including: skin redness, swelling, scaling and small blisters, scaly and itching on the hands, forearms, and between the fingers of the employees were collected and analyzed by SPSS v.16. Results: In this study the overall prevalence of hand dermatitis among the staff service was 36.8 percent. The most common symptom of skin dermatitis was scaling of the hands, forearms or fingers along with cracking (25.5 percent). Symptoms of redness and itching of the skin, hands, forearms or fingers with cracked skin were more in women than men. Symptoms of red skin and scaly hands, forearms or fingers and cracking of skin were more in individuals with less work experience. Conclusion: The results showed a strong correlation between exposure in the workplace and skin dermatitis among workers in the service. In order to reduce exposure to detergents and reducing the incidence of skin dermatitis symptoms, use of appropriate gloves and proper training required in their use is recommended.