Are skin disorders related to work strain in hospital workers? A cross-sectional study
2011

Skin Disorders and Work Strain in Hospital Workers

Sample size: 1744 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Nicola Magnavita, Marko Elovainio, Tarja Heponiemi, Anna M Magnavita, Antonio Bergamaschi

Primary Institution: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy

Hypothesis

Are occupational stress factors associated with skin disorders in hospital workers?

Conclusion

Job stress significantly contributes to skin disorders among hospital workers, and psychological issues do not mediate this relationship.

Supporting Evidence

  • 25% of participants reported hand dermatitis in the previous 12 months.
  • High job demands and low social support were associated with higher prevalence of skin disorders.
  • Depression and anxiety were linked to increased risk of skin disorders.

Takeaway

Hospital workers can get skin problems from stress at work, and feeling anxious or sad doesn't seem to make it worse.

Methodology

A cross-sectional survey using questionnaires to assess skin disorders and psychosocial factors among hospital workers.

Potential Biases

Self-reports may lead to overestimation of skin disorders due to personality traits affecting perception.

Limitations

The study relies on self-reported data, which may be influenced by recall bias, and it cannot establish causation due to its cross-sectional design.

Participant Demographics

The sample included 1,744 hospital workers, with 767 males and 977 females, average age 44.9 years.

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

CI95% 1.05-1.14 for job demands, CI95% 1.20-1.98 for high strain, CI95% 1.27-2.19 for high iso-strain.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-11-600

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