Incidence rates of occupational contact dermatitis in Denmark between 2007 and 2018: A population-based study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent population-based studies on the incidence rates (IRs) of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) are sparse. OBJECTIVES: To determine the IRs of OCD and development thereof between 2007 and 2018 in known risk occupations. METHODS: Data on all recognized cases of OCD were used to calculate IRs as the number of recognized OCD cases per 10 000 workers per year. Asymptotic chi-square test was used to compare the IRs between 2007-2012 and 2013-2018. RESULTS: The median age at notification of OCD was below 30 years for several of the examined occupations. Hairdressers and beauticians, bakers, dentists and dental assistants, and manufacturing of windmills had the highest overall IRs of OCD. We found a statistically significant increase in the IRs of OCD for child/nursery care workers. CONCLUSIONS: The median age at notification of OCD was low for several of the occupations, signifying the need for further preventive strategies among young people. Based on the IRs of OCD, future preventive efforts should be directed at hairdressers and beauticians, bakers, dentists and dental assistants, and manufacturing of windmills. Furthermore, the statistically significant increase in IRs of OCD among child/nursery care workers highlights the need for further preventive strategies in this field.