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FC03.1
Experience from joint occupational health/dermatology clinics
Author(s) -
Wing Wong Yat,
Powell S
Publication year - 2004
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/j.0105-1873.2004.0309dg.x
Subject(s) - medicine , exacerbation , attendance , hand eczema , occupational disease , dermatology , allergy , family medicine , contact dermatitis , environmental health , immunology , economics , economic growth
Background: A monthly consultant led occupational health/dermatology clinic was started in 1999 providing rapid access to staff with suspected occupational skin disease including natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy and teaching for the occupational health staff. Objectives: To evaluate the characteristics and outcome of staff attending this clinic and to assess patient satisfaction. Methods: A retrospective case note survey was performed from staff attending the clinic from 1999 to 2002. A questionnaire was sent to them >3 months following consultation. Results: A total of 116 patients were identified (12 male, 104 female), and 85 (73%) were nurses. 77 (66%) patients were referred with hand eczema (HE). Of the 45 patients referred with adverse reactions or exacerbation of hand dermatitis following the use of latex gloves, only 4 had positive prick tests and were considered to have NRL allergy. Patients with significant HE or occupational exacerbation of HE were referred for patch testing (n = 36). Of the remainder, most could be discharged after a single visit. 49/95 (52%) questionnaires were returned, 34/45 (76%) patients found the consultation useful. As a separate study, the data recorded within the patch test clinic looking at health care workers (HCW) referred both from this clinic and from other sources was analysed. This showed relevant positive patch tests in 16/49 (33%) patients. In 55/99 (56%), an occupational cause was likely. Conclusion: Occupational skin disease in HCW is common, attendance at the clinic was beneficial and a single visit was sufficient in most cases.