Are skin disorders related to work strain in hospital workers? A cross-sectional study

Prevalence and associated factors of suspected occupational skin diseases among restaurant workers in peninsular Malaysia: secondary data analysis of Registry for Occupational Disease Screening (RODS)

OBJECTIVES

Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) pose significant risks to the health and well-being of restaurant workers. However, there is presently limited evidence on the burden and determinants of OSDs among this occupational group. This research aims to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of suspected OSDs among restaurant workers in Peninsular Malaysia.

DESIGN

A secondary data analysis of the 2023 Registry of Occupational Disease Screening (RODS) was performed. The RODS survey tool, which included the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, a symptoms checklist and items on work-relatedness, was used to screen for OSDs. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Restaurant workers (n=300) registered in RODS from February 2023 to April 2023, aged 18 years and above and working in restaurants across Selangor, Melaka and Pahang for more than 1 year, were included in the study, whereas workers who had pre-existing skin diseases were excluded.

RESULTS

The prevalence of suspected OSDs among study participants was 12.3%. Higher odds of suspected OSDs among study participants were observed among those exposed to wet work (adjusted OR (AOR) 22.74, 95% CI 9.63 to 53.68) and moderate to high job stress levels (AOR 4.33, 95% CI 1.80 to 10.43).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that OSDs are a significant occupational health problem among restaurant workers. Interventions targeting job content and wet work may be vital in reducing OSDs among this group of workers.

Psychological Stress and Hand Eczema in Physicians and Dentists: A Comparison Based on Surgical Work

BACKGROUND

This research looks at the connection between psychological stress and the prevalence of hand eczema (HE) among physicians and dentists (surgeons, non-surgeons).

METHODS

This cross-sectional field study involved 185 participants: physicians (surgeons, non-surgeons), dentists (surgeons, non-surgeons) and controls. Hand lesions were examined using the Osnabrueck Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI), and participants answered the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Patch tests were performed using commercial contact allergens.

RESULTS

The estimated prevalence of HE (self-reported) was 43.9% (physicians 44.6%; dentists 43.2%). HE was significantly more reported by surgeons than controls (p < 0.004; V = 0.288). Degrees of perceived stress (PSS) did not differ significantly between the groups, though physicians non-surgeons most exhibited high stress (50%), and physicians surgeons most exhibited low stress (22.5%). High stress was associated with 2.5 higher odds for self-reported HE (p = 0.008). Low stress was greater among physicians/dentists who did not report eczema (41.0% vs. 24.6%); moderate stress was more common among those who reported eczema (72.3% vs. 51.8%; p = 0.038; V = 0.210).

CONCLUSIONS

Since high stress levels may negatively influence physicians'/dentists' work and quality of life, measures to decrease stress could be introduced into the treatment of healthcare workers who are prone to it.

Lifestyle factors and hand eczema: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies

Evidence regarding the association between lifestyle factors and hand eczema is limited.To extensively investigate the association between lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, physical activity, body mass index, diet, and sleep) and the prevalence, incidence, subtype, severity, and prognosis of hand eczema, a systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted in accordance with the Meta‐analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology consensus statement. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to October 2021. The (modified) Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale was used to judge risk of bias. Quality of the evidence was rated using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Eligibility and quality were blindly assessed by two independent investigators; disagreements were resolved by a third investigator. Data were pooled using a random‐effects model, and when insufficient for a meta‐analysis, evidence was narratively summarized. Fifty‐five studies were included. The meta‐analysis (17 studies) found very low quality evidence that smoking is associated with a higher prevalence of hand eczema (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.09‐1.26). No convincing evidence of associations for the other lifestyle factors with hand eczema were found, mostly due to heterogeneity, conflicting results, and/or the limited number of studies per outcome.

Skin sensitization among night shift and daytime healthcare workers: a cross sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the healthcare sector is a major occupational health hazard. There are many reasons for a higher frequency of ACD in healthcare personnel compared to other populations: among others, simultaneous exposure to multiple substances, use of aggressive detergents and wet work. However, studies that systematically correlate skin symptoms with the presence of sensitization investigated through patch tests in specific categories of health workers are very rare and conflicting. Although some studies have reported a correlation between skin disease and night shift, the strength of the evidence is rather limited. The purpose of our study was to investigate by means of patch testing the skin sensitization (SS) to common allergens in the hospital setting in a group of healthcare workers (HCW) reporting symptoms related to dermatitis, according to their job activity and their shift status.

METHODS

132 HCWs visiting a health surveillance centre were investigated by means of specific questionnaire for dermatitis, followed by patch test evaluation including 40 haptens of the SIDAPA 2016 series.

RESULTS

Skin sensitization was observed in 1/3 of the subjects investigated by patch tests. The nursing job was strongly associated with cutaneous reactivity after controlling for the confounding of gender, age and other factors. Shift work was related to the prevalence of SS.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, the nurse's role and shift work were significantly associated with the risk of cutaneous sensitization, in particular for common antigens.

Nursing professionals' mental well-being and workplace impairment during the COVID-19 crisis: A Network analysis

Aim

To investigate the effects of years of nursing experience and mental health on work impairment among nurses during the COVID‐19 crisis.

Background

During the COVID‐19 crisis, nurses experience a greater psychological burden than other health care workers. Studies have not yet investigated the effects of years in nursing and mental health on potential work impairment during the COVID‐19 crisis in nurses.

Methods

A survey was administered to 83 nurses on active duty during the COVID‐19 crisis. The graphical LASSO and the DAG helped estimate the associations between years of nursing experience, mental health and work impairment.

Results

A moderate negative correlation emerged between years of nursing experience, avoidance and work impairment. A direct effect was observed between anxiety and work impairment. A moderate positive correlation emerged between anxiety, depression and work impairment. An indirect effect was observed between depression, burnout, insomnia, years of nursing experience and work impairment.

Conclusions

In the present sample, nurses' work impairment decreased with greater years of nursing experience and increased with higher anxiety, depression, burnout and avoidance levels.

Implications for Nursing Management

These findings can help design effective infectious disease management programmes for students and professionals in nursing to prevent breakdowns and avoid work impairment.

Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Depression among the Working Population of Nepal

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of depression in the working population; to examine if any gender disparity prevails; and to determine the sociodemographic mediators of depression.

Methods

Data from previous research was retrieved for this study. Only paid workers were selected (n=160). Sociodemographic variables including prevalence of moderate depression were compared between the genders using Chi square test. Significant variables were subject to logistic regression. Validated Nepali version of the Beck Depression Inventory scale (BDI-Ia) was used to determine depressive symptoms with a cutoff score of ≥20 considered as moderate depression.

Result

The overall prevalence of moderate depression was 15%, with higher prevalence among working women compared to men [χ² (df) = 6.7(1), P=0.01], those practicing religions other than Hinduism [χ² (df) = 5.5(1), P=0.01], those educated up to primary school compared to other education criteria [χ² (df) = 9.4(4), P=0.03], those having vitamin D deficiency compared to others [χ² (df) = 8.5(3), P=0.03], and sedentary lifestyle compared to active lifestyle [χ² (df) = 6.7(1), P=0.009]. The OR (95% CI) for moderate depression was significantly higher in women than in men [3.2 (1.1-9.6), P= 0.03] and sedentary lifestyle [2.9(1.1-8.2), P= 0.04] even after adjusting for confounding variables.

Conclusion

Working women have increased odds of depression compared to men. Among various characteristics, sedentary lifestyle was the most important causative factor for depression among women.

Exposure to ambient bioaerosols is associated with allergic skin diseases in Greater Taipei residents

Allergic skin diseases may result from various types of chemical and biological allergens. This study investigated the association between ambient bioaerosol exposure and allergic skin diseases by using the exposure data obtained from land use regression models and interpolated data. Data on daily average outpatient visits for atopic dermatitis (ICD-9-CM 691.8) and contact dermatitis and other eczema (ICD-9-CM 692.9) between November 2011 and August 2012 were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. A generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the associations between the skin diseases and ambient bioaerosol levels. The results indicated that during the study period, contact dermatitis and other eczema were more prevalent than atopic dermatitis in the study area. Most cases were observed in districts of Taipei City and 3 major districts of New Taipei City, namely Xinzhuang, Banqiao, and Xindian. In univariate analysis, most bioaerosols were positively associated with both skin diseases. After adjustment for air pollution and sociodemographic factors, exposure to total fungal spores was significantly associated with atopic dermatitis in males (relative risk [RR] = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.19). Contact dermatitis and other eczema had significant relationships with Cladosporium in males (RR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.02-1.14) and with Aspergillus/Penicillium in females (RR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02-1.07). Meteorological parameters, namely wind speed, temperature, and rainfall, were also significantly associated with skin diseases. Our findings reveal that exposure to ambient bioaerosols is a significant and independent risk factor for allergic skin diseases.

Work stress and metabolic syndrome in radiologists: first evidence

PURPOSE

Scientific data have amply demonstrated that work stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, less attention has been given to the association between stress and metabolic syndrome. In this study, our aim was to investigate the relationship between work stress and metabolic syndrome in a population of radiologists.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Radiologists and radiotherapists taking part in scientific conferences were invited to compile a questionnaire to evaluate work stress and the main parameters for diagnosing metabolic syndrome (obesity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol level, elevated triglycerides, and hyperglycemia).

RESULTS

Most of the doctors taking part in the survey (n = 383, 58.6 %) were found to have at least one pathological component; 47 subjects (7.1 %) had metabolic syndrome. All the variables indicating work stress, whether derived from Karasek's demand/control model or from the effort/reward model devised by Siegrist, were significant predictors of metabolic syndrome components. Radiologists with elevated levels of stress had a significantly higher risk of being affected by metabolic syndrome than colleagues with lower stress levels, whether stress was defined as "job strain", i.e., elevated work load and reduced discretionary power (OR 4.89, 95 % CI 2.51-9.55), or as "effort reward imbalance", i.e., mismatch between effort and reward for the work performed (OR 4.66, 95 % CI 2.17-10.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Should the results of this cross-sectional study be confirmed by a subsequent longitudinal survey, they would indicate the need for prompt organizational intervention to reduce occupational stress in radiologists.

Social Psychiatry in the Waiting Room: What a Physician Can Learn about Occupational Stress from Workers Waiting to Be Examined

Background. Work-related stress is a major problem for mental health. The occupational physician has the opportunity to gather information on the perception of stress from workers in the course of regular medical examinations. Method. 1,231 subjects, engaged in 6 different occupations, were invited to compile the Demand/Control/Support and the Effort/Reward/Imbalance questionnaires. Results. A specific profile of work-related stress emerged for each group of workers. Radiology physicians reported high control over work, but also exceedingly high demand and effort, high overcommitment, low social support, and low rewards from work. Health care workers were often overcommitted but had high levels of reward and social support. Low levels of social support and reward were recorded for mature workers, while special force policemen engaged in law enforcement during the G8 meeting had high levels of social support and regards, so that their resulting stress levels were closer to the reference group of employees in an insurance company with no front-office. Conclusion. The practice of administering questionnaires to groups of workers who are subject to medical surveillance is useful for monitoring mental health and well-being.