Secondary individual prevention of occupational skin diseases
in health care workers, cleaners and kitchen employees: aims,
experiences and descriptive results
Abstract
Objectives Due to increased occupational dermatoses
in certain professions such as health care workers
(HCW), cleaning and kitchen employees (CKE), measures
of prevention and skin protection are of high signiWcance.
Skin protection courses focus on educational
aims (e.g. improving skin care habits, inXuencing the
participants’ attitudes towards health) and medical
aims (e.g. optimising diagnostic procedures, complementing
individual therapy).
Methods Participants are patients who have been suspected
to suVer from an occupational skin disease and
are insured with the German Accident Prevention &
Insurance Association (BGW). Teaching units of the
skin protection courses focus on basics of skin functioning
and important aspects of occupational skin diseases.
Practical parts include information and
instructions about the correct implementation of skin
protection, skin care and skin cleansing. Every participant
is seen by a dermatologist obtaining a precise
patient’s history and performing a skin examination.
All this results in working out individually adapted and
professional skin protection strategies.
Results In total, 791 participants (93 men and 698
women) completed the skin protections courses. Six
hundred and sixty-seven patients (mean age:
36.9 years, SD = 11.6) were HCW and 124 patients
(mean age: 40.4 years, SD = 10.8) were CKE. In HCW
82.5% (n = 550) and in CKE 86.3% (n = 107) suVered
from hand eczema of the atopic, irritant or allergic
type. Irritant contact dermatitis as a single diagnosis
was the most frequent one in both groups (HCW:
34.5.%, n = 230; CKE: 49.2% n = 61). According to
regularly performed evaluations, the participants rated
the course as good to excellent. Nearly 80% of the participants
had skin lesions while attending the course, in
27% the dermatosis was severe.
Conclusions There is a high need for health education,
advisory services, diagnostics and additional therapy
in occupational dermatology. Prevention of
occupational skin diseases and maintenance of health
through educational programmes are important complementary
measures for dermatological care but still
missing in endangered professions.