TY - JOUR

T1 - Notification of hand eczema as an occupational disease among Danish hairdressers

T2 - a national survey on patients' perception

AU - Kursawe Larsen, Christoffer

AU - Havmose, Martin S.

AU - Johansen, Jeanne Duus

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Objectives: Self-reported hand eczema was previously found under-reported as an occupational disease to the authorities among Danish hairdressers graduating from 1985 to 2007. This study investigates whether self-reported hand eczema among Danish hairdressers graduating from 2008 to 2018 is under-reported as an occupational disease to the authorities. Methods: A cross-sectional study on all Danish hairdressers graduating from 2008 to 2018 was conducted. The participants were identified using information from the Danish Hairdressers' and Beauticians' Union. In May 2020, a self-administered survey on hand eczema was sent to all hairdressers. Results: A response rate of 30.7% (1485/4830) was obtained. The lifetime prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 40.1%, and 84.1% of hairdressers with hand eczema believed it to be occupational of whom 27.0% answered it was reported as an occupational disease to the authorities. Of hairdressers believing their hand eczema was occupational, consulting a doctor and answering it was reported as an occupational disease, 94.4% had consulted a dermatologist. The main reason for not reporting was ' I would probably not gain anything from it anyway' (40.0%). Conclusions: Based on hairdressers' perception, occupational hand eczema still seems to be an under-reported disease which may lead to underestimation of the problem and impair prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

AB - Objectives: Self-reported hand eczema was previously found under-reported as an occupational disease to the authorities among Danish hairdressers graduating from 1985 to 2007. This study investigates whether self-reported hand eczema among Danish hairdressers graduating from 2008 to 2018 is under-reported as an occupational disease to the authorities. Methods: A cross-sectional study on all Danish hairdressers graduating from 2008 to 2018 was conducted. The participants were identified using information from the Danish Hairdressers' and Beauticians' Union. In May 2020, a self-administered survey on hand eczema was sent to all hairdressers. Results: A response rate of 30.7% (1485/4830) was obtained. The lifetime prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 40.1%, and 84.1% of hairdressers with hand eczema believed it to be occupational of whom 27.0% answered it was reported as an occupational disease to the authorities. Of hairdressers believing their hand eczema was occupational, consulting a doctor and answering it was reported as an occupational disease, 94.4% had consulted a dermatologist. The main reason for not reporting was ' I would probably not gain anything from it anyway' (40.0%). Conclusions: Based on hairdressers' perception, occupational hand eczema still seems to be an under-reported disease which may lead to underestimation of the problem and impair prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

KW - dermatitis, contact

KW - dermatology

KW - epidemiology

KW - occupational health

U2 - 10.1136/oemed-2023-109188

DO - 10.1136/oemed-2023-109188

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38378263

AN - SCOPUS:85185962749

VL - 81

SP - 122

EP - 128

JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

SN - 1351-0711

IS - 3

ER -