Hand dermatitis among medical students from north Queensland, Australia.

Although hand dermatitis (HD) is a frequent occurrence for many health professionals, little is known about the prevalence of HD among medical students, particularly in Australia. A questionnaire-based survey of HD was administered to 261 students at a medical school in tropical northern Australia during 2004 (98.9% response rate). The prevalence of HD varied by year of study, ranging from 9.7% to 20.4% (P=0.322), with an overall prevalence of 17.4%. HD prevalence was significantly higher in those with current allergic disease (P=0.012). Some students (13.8%) reported a reaction immediately after exposure to latex products, a finding which was associated with higher prevalence of HD (P=0.001). HD may be more prevalent among students of a tropical Australian medical school than among their counterparts studied elsewhere. The identification of allergy as a significant correlate again stresses the importance of allergic disease and its relationship with skin conditions.

Toxicity of cyanoacrylate adhesives and their occupational impacts for dental staff.

Cyanoacrylate (CA) and its homologues have a variety of medical, dental and commercial applications as adhesives. The increasing use of CA in dentistry, particularly as an adhesive and sealing glue, has raised concerns regarding its potential toxicity in humans. Reported toxicity of CA is uncommon in the dental workplace, but may manifest as conditions such as urticaria, contact dermatitis and other dermatoses. Dental staff using CA adhesives should avoid direct contact with CA and use appropriate personal protective measures. Maintaining higher levels of humidity, optimizing room ventilation and using special air conditioning filters in the working environment may be useful in minimising the toxicity of volatile CA adhesives.

Musculoskeletal disorders self-reported by female nursing students in central Japan: a complete cross-sectional survey.

We conducted an epidemiological investigation of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among a complete cohort of 222 female nursing students in Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan. This study involved a retrospective analysis of data gathered by means of a self-reported, anonymous questionnaire. Symptom descriptions and evaluation criteria were drawn from previously validated studies. Slightly more than one-third of all nursing students (36.9%) reported a current MSD at some body site. By location, shoulder MSD was the most common condition; affecting 14.9% of them. This was followed by MSD of the lower back (13.5%), neck (9.5%), knee (5.0%), forearm (2.7%), legs (2.3%) and feet (1.8%). Headache was also reported by 4.5%. There were no statistically significant differences between MSD prevalence and year of study in the nursing course (P for trend=0.9534). However, previous hospital work was found to increase the risk of shoulder MSD by a factor of 4.4 (OR 4.4, 95%CI 1.3-13.3, P=0.0107) among the students within this study. Overall, our investigation showed that MSD was less common among a Japanese cohort than in previous reports of nursing students and working nurses.

Musculoskeletal disorders among female nurses in a rural Japanese hospital.

The present research investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among a previously understudied group of Asian nursing professionals in a rural setting. A total of 305 female nurses (84% response rate) were recruited from a university teaching hospital in Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan. Data were gathered by means of a self-reporting questionnaire. Lower back pain (LBP) was the most commonly reported MSD, affecting 59% of all nurses. This was followed by MSD of the shoulder (46.6%), neck (27.9%), knees (16.4%) and upper leg (11.8%). Working in the surgical department was shown to increase the risk of any MSD 2.7 times when compared to nurses in the other departments (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.2-6.7, P = 0.0202). Overall, our study shows that MSD are reasonably common among registered nurses in a rural Japanese hospital. These staff may also be at greater risk of suffering MSD than their city-based nursing counterparts and foreign colleagues, particularly with respect to LBP.

Prevalence and correlates of hand dermatitis among nurses in a Japanese teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Although hand dermatitis represents a common occupational disease among hospital nurses, epidemiologic studies of this nature are comparatively rare in Japan. METHODS: We recruited a complete cross-section of nurses from a teaching hospital in central Japan. Data was gathered by means of a self-reported questionnaire, with hand dermatitis symptoms and evaluation criteria drawn from previously validated research. Participants were categorised according to their hospital department during the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 305 questionnaires were successfully completed and returned (response rate: 84%). There were statistically significant differences in hand dermatitis prevalence between the departments (p < 0.05), ranging from 6% in psychiatry to 48% in the surgical unit and averaging 35% across the entire group. A history of allergic disease was shown to increase the risk of hand dermatitis (odds ratio = 3.7, 95% confidence interval: 2.1 - 6.6). Washing their hands more than 15 times per work shift also increased the risk (odds ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.2 - 3.4). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that hand dermatitis prevalence varies among Japanese nurses depending on their hospital department, and is generally quite high when compared to other reports.

Musculoskeletal disorders among staff in South Korea's largest nursing home.

OBJECTIVES: Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent a significant occupational issue for most nursing home staff, few epidemiological studies have been conducted in Korea. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, MSD within South Korea's largest nursing home using a previously validated, self-reporting questionnaire. RESULTS: From a total of 130 registered employees, 91 (70.0%) successfully completed questionnaires were obtained. The majority were female (80.2%, n=73), with an age range of 27 to 62 years and an average age of 47.0 years (SD 8.0). MSD occurred in varying amounts and was classified into distinct categories depending on body site. The most commonly affected region was the shoulder (reported by 35.2%), followed by the arm (22.0%), knee (20.9%) and lower back (19.8%). Three statistically significant risk factors were consistently identified among all 4 MSD sites: manually handling patients (OR 5.1 to 20.8), changing a patient's clothes (OR 6.7 to 30.1) and working as a nursing aide (OR 3.7 to 74.3). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the present results suggest that employment within a South Korean nursing home incurs certain hazards depending on job description and daily work tasks. The MSD prevalence differed from other occupations within South Korea and previous nursing home studies.

Prevalence of skin disease among nursing home patients in southern Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Continuing advances in medical care and nutrition have prolonged the lifespan and expanded the elderly demographic world-wide. Despite increasing elderly populations within Taiwanese nursing homes, there has been a lack of dermatologic surveys, and the prevalence of skin conditions within this group is unknown. METHODS: To establish the prevalence of skin disease within nursing homes in southern Taiwan, we undertook a dermatologic and epidemiologic investigation of 398 patients in Tainan City, southern Taiwan, between November 1999 and February 2000. RESULTS: This study revealed that more than half of all nursing home patients suffered from fungus (61.6%) and xerosis (58.3%), while other pruritic skin diseases, such as dermatitis and scabies, were less prevalent at 7.3% and 3.3%, respectively. Risk factors for fungal infection included bedridden status (risk ratio (RR), 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-1.4) and male gender (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3). Xerosis was statistically correlated with an age range of 80-90 years (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4) when compared to other age ranges. Current scabies diagnosis was strongly associated with a previous history of scabies (RR, 8.9; 95% CI, 1.7-21.1). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides clinically relevant data regarding the prevalence of skin diseases in institutionalized Taiwanese patients for the first time. The results suggest that scabies persists within some nursing homes despite treatment, and that some patients remain undiagnosed. The dermatologic needs of these Taiwanese patients are not currently being satisfied.

A survey of skin disease among patients in an Australian nursing home.

UNLABELLED: Although the number of nursing homes is increasing in Australia, few studies have investigated the dermatologic condition of their patients. To address this issue, we conducted one of the first skin disease investigations of nursing home residents in Queensland, Australia. METHODS: Our predominant data source was the attending physicians' medical reports, which are updated monthly following their physical examination of each patient. Specialist podiatrists' monthly progress notes were also used as were daily nursing reports. RESULTS: Just over half the patients (54.4%) had at least one skin disease registered among their medical records. Xerosis (dry skin) was the most common affliction, affecting 29.5% of the patients, followed by onychomycosis (tinea unguium) at 22.5% and dermatitis (8.9%). Skin cancer was recorded in 4.9%, while excoriation (3.1%) and unspecified keratosis (2.2%) were slightly less common. Being bedridden was identified as a risk factor for both xerosis (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.8-8.7) and onychomycosis (OR 18.0, 95% Cl 7.5-49.0). CONCLUSION: Overall, our research suggests that skin diseases are reasonably common among Australian nursing home patients. The presence of certain dermatologic conditions differed from other reports.

Ergonomic and demographic issues reported by palliative care workers in southern Taiwan.

AIM: To investigate ergonomic and demographic issues reported by palliative care workers in southern Taiwan. METHOD: A structured questionnaire was completed by staff members from 11 nursing homes within southern Taiwan. Questions focused on age, sex, height, weight, shift-work details, duration of current employment, nature of current employment, the presence of injury and pain during the past 12 months, the phase lag before the onset of injury, and sick leave details. RESULTS: A total of 125 health-care workers were recruited. Most were female (89.3 percent) and employed full-time (64.8 percent) as patient care assistants (55.2 percent). Most workers were regularly involved in patient-handling tasks (61.6 percent). Almost half (36.8 percent) had suffered a musculoskeletal disorder within the previous year. Lower back injury was reported by 12.0 percent of all employees. Changing patients'clothes and changing their bed linen were associated statistically with musculoskeletal injury (odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) 1.4-6.3 and OR 2.8, 95 percent CI 1.4-6.1), respectively. Moving the patients was also related to injury during our research (OR 2.5, 95 percent CI 1.2-5.4). CONCLUSION: This study has revealed various ergonomic and demographic issues reported by palliative care workers in southern Taiwan for the first time. The prevalence of certain injuries and symptoms are different from other reports.