Hand eczema among healthcare workers in Guangzhou City: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are at high risk of developing hand eczema. This study aimed to investigate the association between occupational hygiene and self-reported hand eczema among nurses and doctors in Guangzhou. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a self-administrated questionnaire sent to 740 health care workers in two tertiary hospitals between 1(st) April and 1(st) July 2019 was conducted. RESULTS: In total, 521 healthcare workers responded (70.4%). The prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 9.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.1–12.1%], with 10.8% in nurses and 6.9% in doctors. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, the prevalence was higher in those who were excessively exposed to hair dye (OR: 3.871, 95% CI: 1.106–13.549) and those having a history of food allergy were at 3.013 (95% CI: 1.314–6.907) times greater risk of having hand eczema than those who did not. The odds of having hand eczema were 4.863 (95% CI: 1.037–22.803) times greater in those who hand washed more than 50 times daily in comparison to those who washed hands less than 10 times per day. The symptoms of hand eczema were mild during the investigation period. CONCLUSIONS: Hand eczema is common among healthcare workers in Guangzhou. The prevention of hand eczema by educational programs is needed for Chinese healthcare workers.