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Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica, Vol. 29 No. 1, 2021.

Original scientific paper

New-onset or Exacerbated Occupational Hand Eczema among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Growing Health Problem

Esra İnan Doğan ; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Adıyaman University Faculty of Medicine, Adıyaman, Turkey
Birgül Özkesici Kurt ; Clinic of Dermatology, Adıyaman Training and Research Hospital, Adıyaman, Turkey

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Abstract

Hand hygiene is one of the cornerstones in ensuring effective infection
control during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. We
aimed to investigate the prevalence of new-onset occupational HE during
the COVID-19 outbreak in healthcare workers (HCWs) and the clinical course,
clinical features, and risk factors of occupational hand eczema (HE). A total of
159 volunteer HCWs (female: n=112; male: n=47, mean age=35.55±7.03 years)
working in a pandemic hospital were included. Participants were questioned
in terms of daily hand hygiene, use of gloves, and signs and symptoms associated
with HE before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs were divided
into two groups classified as non-COVID and COVID, according to the unit
they worked in. In our study, 55 participants reported new-onset signs and/or
symptoms associated with HE during the COVID-19 pandemic. 59 participants
described an increase in signs and/or symptoms associated with HE. The presence
of newly-formed or increased signs and/or symptoms associated with HE
was found to be 71.7%. A significant increase in dryness, itching, pain/burning,
erythema, and scaling was observed (P<0.05). No difference was found
between the COVID and non-COVID groups in terms of newly formed and/or
increased signs and symptoms (P>0.05). The study included a limited number
of participants, and the participants self-reported the signs and symptoms associated
with HE. During the COVID-19 period, there has been a significant
increase in the signs and symptoms of occupational HE as a result of increased
hand hygiene practices in HCWs.

Keywords

contact dermatitis, COVID-19, hand dermatitis, hand eczema, healthcare workers, occupational, SARS-CoV-2

Hrčak ID:

274439

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/274439

Publication date:

17.3.2021.

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