The Association Between Skin Rashes and Work Environment, Personal Protective Equipment, and Hygiene Practices Among...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Health
• Dermatology
• Occupational Medicine

Background:

• Farmworkers face occupational hazards, including skin exposure to pesticides and plant materials.
• Skin rashes are a common complaint among agricultural workers, impacting their health and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate work-related hygiene, rash frequency, and locations in female nursery and fernery workers.
• To identify risk factors associated with skin rashes in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 237 female farmworkers (ages 19-43) in Central Florida.
• Utilized self-report questionnaires and a skin rash chart assessment tool.
• Assessed cutaneous contact with crop-associated materials, including pesticides.

Main Results:

• 37.1% of surveyed farmworkers reported at least one skin rash.
• Pregnant workers were 4.7 times more likely to have rashes covering over 30% of their total body surface area (TBSA).
• Significant association found between pregnancy and increased rash severity (p = .045).

Conclusions:

• Work-related skin exposure poses a significant risk for female farmworkers.
• Pregnancy is a key risk factor for more severe skin rashes in this occupational group.
• Further research is essential for developing effective prevention strategies for farmworker skin conditions.