Title:Quality of Life of Healthcare Workers Suffering from Occupational Contact
Dermatitis
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Author(s): Amira Omrane*, Asma Khedher , Chayma Harrathi, Maher Maoua , Taoufik Khalfallah , Lamia Bouzgarrou, Nejib Mrizak , Mohamed Adnene Henchi and Hichem Bel Hadj Ali
Affiliation:
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Teaching Hospital Taher Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisia
Keywords:
DLQI, healthcare workers, hospital, quality of life, occupational dermatitis, Odds Ratio (OR).
Abstract: Background: Healthcare workers are at a high risk of developing Occupational Dermatitis
(OD). Affected workers often experience severe impairment of their Quality of Life (QoL). This
study aimed to assess the skin-related QoL of healthcare workers with OD and to explore its related
factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional and exhaustive study was conducted among healthcare personnel of
four public hospitals in the central region of Tunisia. All the cases of OD declared were included.
Skin-related QoL was assessed using the validated Tunisian version of the “Dermatology Life Quality
Index” (DLQI). Some related patents have also been discussed.
Results: A total of 37 cases of OD were collected with an annual incidence of 4.2 cases per 10000
workers. The population was predominantly female (73%) and the mean age was 44.7±9.4 years.
Nurses were the most represented occupational category (38%). Allergic contact dermatitis was the
most frequent diagnosis (96%). The use of gloves was the most frequently reported occupational
hazard (86%). The most frequently affected sites were hands (97%).
The median score of DLQI was five. Multivariate analysis showed an association between the impairment
of skin-related QoL and female gender (p = 0.04; OR = 19.3,84), exposure to disinfecting
chemicals in the workplace (p = 0.01; OR = 17,306) and the absence of occupational reclassification
(p = 0.01; OR = 21,567).
Conclusion: About one-third of the population had an impaired quality of life. The score impairment
was significantly related to the female gender, exposure to disinfecting chemicals and the
absence of occupational reclassification.
