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Occupational dermatitis in hairdressers – influence of individual and environmental factors
Author(s) -
Carøe Tanja K.,
Ebbehøj Niels E.,
Agner Tove
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/cod.12686
Subject(s) - occupational exposure , occupational dermatitis , dermatology , occupational medicine , contact dermatitis , irritant contact dermatitis , allergic contact dermatitis , medicine , allergy , environmental health , immunology
Summary Background Hairdressers are at risk of developing occupational contact dermatitis because of their intense contact with wet work in combination with chemicals. Objectives To perform an analysis of a cohort study of hairdressers with occupational contact dermatitis recognized in the period 2006–2011, focusing on individual and environmental factors associated with the disease. Methods The study was a descriptive, register‐based survey including all hairdressers with recognized occupational contact dermatitis in D enmark in the period J anuary 2006 to S eptember 2011. Data were obtained from the D anish N ational B oard of I ndustrial I njuries. Results The study comprised 381 patients (373 women and 8 men). The median age was 25 years, 64.8% were apprentices, and 35.2% were fully trained hairdressers. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 36.0%, and was significantly higher among apprentices than among fully trained hairdressers (44.9% and 19.4%, respectively) ( p < 0.001). Of the patients, 48.3% had their dermatitis recognized as occupational irritant contact dermatitis, 46.7% had their dermatitis recognized as as occupational allergic contact dermatitis or combined allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, and 5.0% were recognized as having occupational contact urticaria. Conclusion The low median age, the high percentages of atopic dermatitis in apprentices and the fact that more apprentices than fully trained hairdressers had recognized occupational contact dermatitis underlines the importance of early prevention.