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Contact dermatitis is an unrecognized problem in the construction industry: Comparison of four different assessment
Johan G Timmerman1, Dick Heederik1, Ton Spee1,2
1Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Background:
A high contact dermatitis symptoms prevalence has been observed in Dutch construction workers.
Methods:
Contact dermatitis was diagnosed by an expert panel using questionnaire data and photographs of 751 subjects' hands. A subset was evaluated by two occupational physicians. Their diagnoses were compared to those of the expert panel. In addition, two self-reported questionnaire-based assessment methods were compared to the expert panel evaluation. Associations between contact dermatitis and determinants were assessed using log-binomial regression analysis.
Results:
Contact dermatitis prevalence was high: 61.4% (expert panel's diagnosis) and 32.9% (self-reported). Agreement between occupational physicians and the expert panel was low but increased after training. Washing hands with solvents and performing job-related tasks at home were related to contact dermatitis.
Conclusions:
Contact dermatitis prevalence among construction workers is high. Recognition of contact dermatitis by occupational physicians is poor but can be improved by training. Awareness of skin disorders should be raised.
