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Occupational hand eczema and/or contact urticaria: factors associated with change of profession or not remaining in the workforce
Author(s) -
Carøe Tanja K.,
Ebbehøj Niels E.,
Bonde Jens P.,
Agner Tove
Publication year - 2018
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.12869
Subject(s) - medicine , workforce , contact urticaria , hand eczema , family medicine , cohort , contact dermatitis , dermatology , allergy , immunology , economics , economic growth
Summary Background Occupational hand eczema and/or contact urticaria may have social consequences such as change of profession or not remaining in the workforce. Objectives To identify factors associated with job change in a cohort of participants with recognised occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria Methods A registry‐based study including 2703 employees with recognised occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria in Denmark in 2010/2011. Four to five years later the participants received a follow‐up questionnaire, comprising questions on current job situation (response rate 58.0%). Results At follow‐up, 51.3% of the participants were no longer in the same profession. 32.5% had changed profession and 18.8% were no longer in employment. Change of profession was associated with young age, positive patch test, low educational level and severity of hand eczema/contact urticaria. With regard to specific professions, cleaning personnel changed profession significantly more often than other workers [71.4% (OR = 2.26)], health care workers significantly less often than other workers [34.0% (OR = 0.36)]. Conclusion Job change occurs frequently during the first years after recognition of occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria and more often among patients with positive patch test reactions, with severe hand eczema/contact urticaria. Whether job changes improve the prognosis of occupational hand eczema/contact urticaria remains to be established.